Awakening
by rampantwolfhound
Summary: In a world where Yuwen Zhuo hasn't yet awoken from his coma, Yuwen Yue and Xing'er grow closer due to the changes that result from his grandfather's lack of interference. When Yan Xun suffers tragedy at the hands of the Emperor and Wei, they both vow to do what they can for their friend while walking the tense political tightrope caused by life in chaotic times.
1. Chapter 1

[Deep breath] Okay, guys, this is rough. I mean, really rough. As in "most of this was thrown together late last night and not even proofed" rough. But I wanted to get this out there—especially since there's no XingYue in my next DP chapter. So here's the opening of my next story, "Awakening." Calling this a story is quite generous as I'm not even close to having this world well-defined yet. On the plus-side, however, that means that y'all will have the chance to shape the direction of the story to a degree by telling me what you want to see in it. I'll let y'all read this and then I'll give a few more points at the bottom.

* * *

Yuwen Yue stood at the railing of the highest floor of the pavilion overlooking the Qing Shan Yuan courtyard, flute in hand as he looked up at the moon and stars. He normally checked in on his grandfather at this time before sleeping, but something about the night had called to him as it sometimes did—and the odds of there having been any change in his grandfather's condition since last night were slim.

 _The night itself wasn't what called you, and you know it,_ his logical mind chided him.

He pursed his lips and raised his flute to them, determined to drown out the voice in his head and the worries in his heart with music. Inhaling a deep breath, he shaped his lips around the flute and prepared to blow gently into it.

Instead of the high, pure notes of his own instrument, however, the somewhat harsh, droning sound of the bi li pierced the previous silence of Qing Shan Yuan. Yuwen Yue lowered his flute with a scowl, his face forming the same expression it always did when he contemplated the image of the woman he loved—for such he'd known her to be for many months—placing her lips where Yan Xun's had once been and playing the instrument the young prince had given her.

 _But she didn't leave,_ his logical mind reminded him as it always did when he indulged in such thoughts.

Yuwen Yue had long held onto that truth like a lifeline, and now was no exception. He thought of the document he'd stamped only a few moments before leaving his main room, the giving of which would likely change his life forever one way or another. The spymaster didn't know which way his life would change, however, and he had to acknowledge that the thought terrified him as few things ever had.

Rather than dwelling on the potentially unpleasant events that might occur in his near future, Yuwen Yue instead found his mind returning him to another night months ago that had changed his life forever—a night not unlike this one in many ways.

* * *

"Has there been any change?" Yuwen Yue asked Zhan Mou as he did every night.

"No, Master," Zhan Mou replied with the traditional answer. "I continue to take care of him to the best of my ability, but he never shows any signs of awakening."

Yuwen Yue nodded at his grandfather's faithful right hand, the sadness he felt inside not making its way to his face, which was as serene as ever. After all, his grandfather had trained him in the art of concealing his feelings, and he had learned those lessons well.

"I'm sure that he'll awaken soon, Master," the old warrior said, offering the same reassurance that he'd given Yuwen Yue since the night his grandfather had been poisoned.

"Logically speaking, he should wake up any day now," Yuwen Yue said. "His body is sound. We gave him the antidote for the poison quickly. He's a strong man and a tough kill."

"Indeed, Master," Zhan Mou said, dipping his head. "Any day now."

Yuwen Yue said nothing, staring down at his grandfather's motionless body in the bed that had been prepared for him in the secret lair that was attached to Yuwen Yue's rooms at Qing Shan Yuan. While his grandfather had not been the most emotionally demonstrative of men, Yuwen Yue had still known that his grandfather had cared for him a great deal. Months had passed since his grandfather and his faithful servant had been poisoned by the box, rods, and spider, and his grandfather had shown no signs of improvement.

The spymaster's ears perked up suddenly as they detected the tell-tale sounds of footsteps approaching the entrance to the secret lair. He identified them as Yue Qi's, and he shoved all thoughts of his grandfather aside as he realized how quickly his captain of the Yue guards was walking. The door swung open and Yue Qi strode quickly inside, his face intent and serious. He clasped his hands and bowed to both Yuwen Yue and Zhan Mou.

"Master, Yan Xun has fled Chang'an and is believed to be heading back to Yanbei," Yue Qi said without preamble. "We've been ordered to help join in the search."

Yuwen Yue was unable to completely keep the shock from showing on his face—or his mind from instantly flying to his bedchamber maid rather than his best friend. He'd been hinting to Yan Xun for weeks now about the importance of going back to Yanbei, but he'd assumed that his friend's feelings for Xing'er would keep him from leaving Chang'an. The obvious reason for Yan Xun's departure was staring him in the face, and his stomach clenched at the thought of the empty room that might be waiting for him in the servant quarters.

"Assemble the Yue guards immediately, Yue Qi," Yuwen Yue said. "We will, of course, do our best to capture the prince alive and return him to where he belongs."

Yue Qi clasped his hands and bowed again.

"Of course, Master," he replied, his eyes twinkling slightly. "In fact, we'll have to make sure to personally inspect every man's uniform and weapons before we go on such an important assignment. We can't allow anyone to say that the Yue guards weren't properly prepared for such a mission."

"Your diligence is commendable—and appreciated," Yuwen Yue replied, hesitating. "I'll leave the inspection in your capable hands, however; there's something I have to look into first."

Yue Qi looked at him in question before his eyes widened in comprehension. He hastily bowed and made his exit from the dimly-lit secret chamber. The candles flickered in his wake, the gloom of the room suddenly seeming more oppressive than comforting. Yuwen Yue took one more look at his grandfather and his faithful servant before swiftly retreating through the large stone door, closing it behind him with a grating rasp.

He strode swiftly through his quarters, his graceful stride taking him out into the now-busy courtyard and to the slave quarters. No light emanated from Xing'er's room, but he hadn't expected to see any regardless of what was—or wasn't—inside. Yuwen Yue hesitated in front of the doors for a moment before rapidly pushing them open, ashamed of his weakness.

"Master!" a familiar feminine voice said from the darkness. "What are you-? Is everything okay?"

Yuwen Yue stood in Xing'er's doorway, knowing that the shock he was experiencing was written all over his face. As his eyes adjusted to the gloom, they took in Xing'er's wide-awake state—and the bi li she held in her hand. His mouth tightened in disapproval.

"Yan Xun has fled Chang'an and is presumably headed back to Yanbei," he said flatly.

"Really?" Xing'er asked him, her eyes wide with innocence.

He stared at her intently, causing her to eventually shift her gaze away from his. She twirled Yan Xun's bi li absentmindedly in her hands.

"What a coincidence that you seem to have been thinking about Yan Xun yourself at this time instead of sleeping," he said, glancing pointedly at the bi li.

"Oh, this!" Xing'er said, smiling brightly. "Yan Xun gave this to me awhile ago and taught me to play it. I knew he wanted to go home soon, so I tried to give it back, but he told me to keep it—and to play it every now and then in his honor. I told him I would, of course."

"Of course you did," Yuwen Yue muttered. "I'm sure you were completely unaware of his plans."

"Why would a prince like Yan Xun tell me of his plans, Master?" Xing'er asked, wide-eyed. "After all, I'm just a simple maid."

Yuwen Yue scowled at the flippant response that she so frequently gave him—that they both knew was a falsehood.

 _She's never been a simple maid and she never will be—especially not to me._

He shoved those feelings to the back of his mind, careful to keep them off his face and out of his eyes. Instead, he gave her another of his intense stares, hoping that she'd volunteer more information. She didn't.

"Naturally, our Yue guards have been tasked with joining the search for Yan Xun," he said.

"Naturally," she responded. "I wish you well, Master. Would you like me prepare you some tea before you go?"

"Do you really think I'll have time to drink tea before leaving, Xing'er?" he asked wryly.

"I know how susceptible Master can be to the cold, so I was simply looking out for your welfare," she said, somehow managing to convey insincerity in her tone and expression without being overtly disrespectful.

"Your obvious care for my well-being is duly noted," he said. "Sadly, I'll have to decline as I wouldn't want to delay my departure too long."

"Mm," Xing'er said, nodding once. "Anyone watching might draw the wrong conclusion from such hesitation, which would be a problem."

"Indeed it would, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said. "In fact, I've already wasted too much time just by standing here—unless you could make my time here worthwhile by telling me which way out of Wei Yan Xun would've taken."

"I'm flattered that you would think I'd possess such information, Master, but surely your own tracking and problem-solving abilities are such that you could never need such simple help as what I could provide."

Yuwen Yue couldn't decide if he wanted to throttle Xing'er or kiss her senseless.

 _Of course you can, you liar,_ his inner voice said snidely, making Yuwen Yue scowl even harder.

Yue Qi strode up to Yuwen Yue, clasping his hands and bowing. "Master, I've carried out the inspection as you requested. Are there any other preparations we can—I mean, that we need to make?"

"No, Yue Qi," Yuwen Yue said, "we need to be leaving. I was just asking Xing'er if she knew which route Yan Xun might've taken, but she professes not to know anything."

His right hand gave a start at the realization that there was actually someone in the room; clearly he'd believed it to be empty and had been trying to ignore the ramifications of that fact. Yuwen Yue was both annoyed and touched by his subordinate's attempt at willful ignorance.

"I tried to tell Master that a simple maid like me wouldn't know the first thing about where to look for Yan Xun, but he doesn't seem to believe me. Can you believe it, Yue Qi?" Xing'er asked innocently.

"Master's ways are too mysterious for me, Xing'er," Yue Qi said, his eyes twinkling slightly. "After all, I'm just a simple Yue guard."

"You're far too modest, Yue Qi," Xing'er said, simpering. "Surely a man as smart as you are would be able to figure out that Yan Xun would never take the main forest road out of Wei but would take the other-"

Xing'er's eyes widened comically in what Yuwen Yue was certain was the worst acting job he'd ever seen.

 _She's playing with us—with me,_ he acknowledged, irritation and attraction warring within him. _She wants me to know she's lying, that she knows which road Yan Xun's taking, and that she knows I already know his probable escape route, too. Well, Xing'er, two can play at this game._

"Yue Qi, tell the men that we're not taking the forest road out of Wei," he told his house guard captain.

"We're not, Master?" Yue Qi's eyes widened. "I mean, of course we're not!"

Yuwen Yue almost smiled as he saw Yue Qi figure out what he was doing.

"Of course we're not," Yuwen Yue echoed. "We've been given a tip from one of our sources that Yan Xun is more devious than we thought and that he's sneaking out of Wei by an unusual method."

"Searching the surrounding villages for evidence of Yan Xun's passage will take us all night, so we'd better get started, Master," Yue Qi said, grinning at Xing'er as he whirled around and went to rejoin the men.

Yuwen Yue couldn't resist a touch of smugness from appearing on his face as he took in Xing'er's surprised expression. He also felt a stab of disappointment that his protege hadn't yet learned to look beneath the surface—or to understand his motivations.

"Do you want me to stay up so I can make some warm tea for you when you return, Master?" Xing'er asked him in a soft tone of voice he'd never heard her use before.

He stared at her intently, his long-held desire to trust her warring with his reservations about her own motivations.

"That won't be necessary, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said, giving her a final intense look. "I already have everything I need."

She drew in a sharp breath, and he wondered if she'd truly caught his meaning.

 _She didn't leave,_ he reminded himself as he turned to face the night again. _She could've taken all Yan Xun was offering and left, but she didn't. What I don't understand is-_

"Xing'er, why didn't you leave?" Yuwen Yue suddenly found himself asking. "And what did you tell Yan Xun to make him leave you behind?"

Xing'er stared at him for a few moments, her face as unreadable as a message from an Eyes of God operative before the special powder had been applied to it.

"I told him I already have everything I need," she said quietly, her gaze unwavering.

Time seemed to slow down for Yuwen Yue as he tried to process the meaning of what she'd just said. Suddenly, he felt like the one who needed to work harder at seeing what was beneath the surface. Without a word, he turned around and left, closing the doors firmly behind him before realizing that she'd only answered his second question but not his first.

 _Or did she? h_ e couldn't prevent himself from thinking as he walked quickly back to his rooms so that he could retrieve Po Yue Jian.

As he grasped the scabbard of the sword that had been wielded by the leaders of the Eyes of God for generations, he couldn't stop himself from feeling a faint glimmer of hope about the wielder of its mate. In the dimness of Xing'er's room, he'd seen the dully-gleaming hilt of Can Hong Jian resting against the side of Xing'er's bed, ready for her to grab at a moment's notice.

 _She may have been holding Yan Xun's bi li tonight, but it'll be my sword that she'll be practicing with tomorrow—and every day after that—because she didn't leave,_ he thought, the corners of his mouth twitching into some semblance of a smile before reverting to their typical stern lines as he strode out of his rooms to join his men.

Suddenly, he found himself eager to be done with the farcical search for his close friend that he and his men would be conducting so that he could return to Qing Shan Yuan to explore other more interesting pursuits.

 _If Xing'er truly wants to stay here, to learn from me, to become my best spy, then maybe…_

Yuwen Yue presented as businesslike a visage as ever to his Yue guards, but as he rode out with his men in the opposite direction that everyone else would be going, his thoughts stayed behind in Qing Shan Yuan—and behind a certain pair of closed doors that might open themselves to him someday.

* * *

The sound of silence suddenly brought Yuwen Yue back to the present. Xing'er had apparently finished playing Yan Xun's bi li, and the cool night air of Qing Shan Yuan returned to its previous quiet state. Yuwen Yue had originally planned on talking with Xing'er the next day, but an impulse took hold of him as he raised his flute to his lips and blew into it, this time without interruption.

The high, haunting sound of his own instrument wafted over the courtyard of his ancestral home, calling out to his beloved. Whether she would heed his call was up to her; it always had been. She'd decided to stay with him several times already, but this time...this time was different, and he had no idea how she would react to any of what he was going to tell her.

Yuwen Yue was tempted to not go through with his plans, especially since he knew full well that their implementation could bring him more heartbreak than he'd experienced since his mother died. The intervening months between Yan Xun's flight and now had been the best of his life, but their goodness had made tonight's actions necessary.

The moon and stars shone brightly in the sky, bathing Xing'er in their light as she suddenly appeared in the courtyard below. She still had the bi li in her hand, but her focus was entirely on the source of the music. Her white outfit looked radiant in the moonlight, and his breath caught as he realized once again just how beautiful his beloved was.

As she strode towards the stairway of the pavilion, Yuwen Yue was taken back to memories of Xing'er practicing her writing at the nearby table. That memory led to a cascade of others, brief, vivid flashes of him teaching her reading, writing, philosophy, logic, and other disciplines. She'd taken a chance on him by not leaving him for freedom, so in return, he'd taken a chance on her and had truly begun to mold her into a woman who was as educated in intellectual pursuits as she was in martial arts.

While the young master of Qing Shan Yuan knew that Xing'er still had much to learn from him, he was proud of how far she'd come from the brash, reckless woman she'd been when she'd first come through the gates of his home. He knew that she would always likely have an impulsive streak that would get her into trouble, but he felt that her intense training over the last several months especially had tempered her rash nature with some self-control.

Xing'er reached the top of the stairway and stopped; Yuwen Yue could feel the heat of her eyes on him, but he stayed facing the courtyard. He allowed the final notes of his song to fade away before slowly dropping the flute from his mouth. Footsteps sounded behind him and Xing'er was soon at his side.

 _Perhaps for the last time,_ his mind grimly told him.

He ignored such pessimistic thoughts and focused on the task at hand. Xing'er was staring out at the courtyard like he was, seemingly content to pass the night in companionable silence with her master. There was a tension to this silence, however, that he could tell his bedchamber maid had picked up on. She said nothing, obviously waiting for him to speak when he was ready.

"Your musical skills have improved," Yuwen Yue said, breaking the silence.

"You mean I'm no longer giving you headaches, Master?" Xing'er asked, a slight smile playing about her lips.

"Not from your bi li-playing, anyway," Yuwen Yue responded.

Xing'er scowled at him, but her eyes were twinkling.

"I'll have to make you some of that tea that you like to drink for headaches, Yuwen Yue," she said sweetly. "I know it's your favorite."

"Oh, yes," Yuwen Yue intoned. "The bitterness in it always serves to remind me about the nature of life itself."

"Life hasn't been too bad lately, has it, Master?" Xing'er said softly.

Yuwen Yue was silent for a few moments.

"Actually, life has been better than usual lately," he admitted. "That makes me nervous because it always means that life is going to take a turn for the worse later."

"Mm," Xing'er grunted in agreement. "I know exactly what you mean. But that doesn't mean we can't enjoy lovely nights like this one, right?"

The casual banter between them both soothed and tormented Yuwen Yue as he plotted his course. They had set aside their wary hostility months ago and had recently begun to develop a genuine closeness, one that seemed to go beyond…

"Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said so seriously that she looked up at him with widened eyes.

She continued to stare at him expectantly.

"Xing'er," he said again, "you're ready to begin your next stage of training."

He ignored the startled choking noise she made and continued.

"Over these past months, you've worked hard and have advanced well beyond where you began. While you are by no means through with your training, you're ready to take the next step towards becoming a full-fledged spy for the Eyes of God."

"Oh," she said, the wideness of her eyes gathering in the light of the stars.

"The problem, however, is two-fold," he said, squaring his shoulders and making sure his face was perfectly blank. "First, I don't allow slaves to be real Eyes of God spies. And second...I have to tell you a couple of things because I know that you'll find out about them eventually, at least in some measure. I'm honestly surprised you haven't found out about one of them in particular yet."

Yuwen Yue had never seen Xing'er truly speechless before. He'd seen her deliberately holding her fury in check. He'd seen her unable to speak coherently because she'd been overcome with emotions. He'd never, however, seen her unable to talk simply because she had no idea what to say. He wished he could derive any enjoyment from this rare occasion, but given the things he had to say next, he couldn't do so.

"In my room, I have three documents for the release of slaves. Having a spy in the Eyes of God who isn't free to make his or her own choices is a liability and a security risk I cannot allow. If you are to truly become one of us, to know the things we know, to do the things we do, then you'll have to decide to do so of your own free will—not because you're a slave or because you're scared for the well-being of your sisters."

Tears had begun to flow down Xing'er's cheeks as the enormity of what had just happened hit her. He tried to decipher the myriad emotions visible in her eyes but was unable to do so. In all likelihood, Xing'er was having the same trouble, so he couldn't be too angry at himself for not being able to define the undefinable.

Yuwen Yue knew that his grandfather would've cursed him for a fool for allowing such a valuable asset her freedom. Of course, he also knew that his grandfather would've quickly picked up on his feelings for Xing'er and done everything in his power to thwart them. His grandfather wasn't here to put a stop to his relationship with Xing'er, however, and Yuwen Yue felt an immense wash of guilt at the stab of gratitude for his grandfather's condition that that thought brought him.

"You're free, Xing'er," he said, unable to keep a husky rasp from entering his voice.

"Master-" she said, looking at him in question as he slowly shook his head. "You're free, remember? Call me by my name."

"But even those who serve you freely call you master," she said in obvious bewilderment.

"Okay," Yuwen Yue said, "then call be by my name when we're alone."

He stared into her eyes intensely, noting with pleasure the way she reacted to his gaze. While Yuwen Yue wasn't as well-versed in the ways of women as many of his peers, he still felt that the look Xing'er was giving him now went beyond the look a woman would give a man she considered a friend.

"Okay...Yuwen Yue," she whispered.

His eyes darkened further, the sound of her lips shaping his name setting his blood afire.

 _Enough of that, genius,_ his inner voice scolded him. _After she hears the rest of what you have to tell her, her eyes might not look on you so warmly._

As usual, his inner voice served as a bucket of water to the face. He forced himself to continue.

"You and your sisters are all free," he said in a businesslike tone. "Should you choose to leave here, I'll give you an amount of money that will allow you to establish yourselves somewhere—or to help you find husbands if you so desire."

Yuwen Yue couldn't keep his voice from tripping slightly over the word "husband" no matter how hard he tried. He could tell that Xing'er caught his slip, but she gave none of her emotions away.

"Do you want me to leave, Yuwen Yue?" she asked softly, tears still tracing their way down her cheeks.

To his great surprise, his hand reached into his robes almost of their own accord and pulled out a handkerchief—what he'd come to think of as _their_ handkerchief, in fact. His hand then proceeded to gently dab at the tears on Xing'er's face with the handkerchief, automatically adjusting when Xing'er took a step closer to him.

Her movement broke him out of his funk, and he swiftly stepped back from her, inwardly wincing at the flash of hurt he saw appear in her eyes before she erected her walls. His heart ached as he realized that he was now going to hurt her even more.

"No, Xing'er, I don't want you to leave," he said, attempting to return to his previous businesslike state. "But you might want to leave once I tell you the truth about two secrets—or one great secret intertwined, perhaps."

Her large eyes were as luminous as ever, but they now contained a measure of wariness that he was perversely glad to see because he knew it would serve her well. She waited silently for him to continue, and he couldn't help but be proud of the watchful self-regulation that was allowing her to stay calm now. Yuwen Yue knew that that relatively recent progress would soon be tested.

"As you know, a man in my position has many secrets—many more secrets than almost anyone in the world, maybe," he began. "I share very few of these secrets with anyone because I know he damage they can do if placed in the wrong hands. Someone in my position must have not only the skill to collect secrets but also the discretion to hold onto them without using them unwisely."

"Mm," she agreed, nodding once.

"However, holding onto a secret for too long can have a danger all its own. What happens when someone discovers all or part of a secret suddenly with no warning or context?"

"Confusion?" Xing'er replied hesitantly after his pause conveyed that the question had not been rhetorical. "Rash decisions made due to lack of information or too much emotion?"

"Right," Yuwen Yue said. "If you were to find out suddenly that something—or multiple somethings—that you'd believed to be true wasn't true, then you might react badly before you've had a chance to think things through."

"So..." Xing'er said, trailing off in confusion.

"So I'm going to tell you the truth about how and why your brother died, and you can decide whether you want to stay or go."

"Mas...Yuwen Yue, why would I want to…." she went quiet as her keen mind started making connections. "Go on," she said, her voice colder than he'd heard in months.

"I'm assuming that you're still clear on who the guilty parties are," Yuwen Yue said.

"As far as I know," Xing'er said. "Yuwen Xi and Yuwen Huai were behind the sending of the box; they'll pay for their sins one day. Jin Zhu gave the box to Linxi; she's already paid for her sins—albeit not directly by my hand. Zhu Shun might've been the one to physically hand her the box, but I cannot prove it."

"And I killed him," Yuwen Yue said.

"After he'd already been poisoned," Xing'er said. "There was no way to save him...was there?"

The suspicion in Xing'er's voice cut him to the core, taking him back to a time before they'd become as close as they'd been only a few short moments ago. She was right to be suspicious, which made the situation all the more painful.

He was poisoned with Quian Hun powder," Yuwen Yue said.

"You haven't taught me about that poison, so it must not be local," Xing'er said, obviously trying to keep control of herself.

"You're right, Xing'er," he said. "It's from Persia."

"Which at least implicates someone wealthy and connected if not your lovely relatives directly."

"Yuwen Huai has been known to have commercial dealings with the Persians," Yuwen Yue confirmed.

"So a poison as exotic and rare as that...does it have an antidote?"

"Yes, but it's very costly."

"So you didn't have any that night...or did you? You did or you would've said so already. That means..."

Yuwen Yue's face was a mask of indifference as he watched his dreams go up in smoke. He could see all of the closeness of the past few months disappear like incense from a burner as the woman he loved worked to decipher the truth.

"There was an antidote, but there was only one," she concluded. "Since the life of your grandfather was naturally worth more to you than that of a common slave, you gave him the antidote and left my brother to die."

She laughed humorlessly as tears started to trickle down her face again. He didn't even know if she knew they were there.

"I honestly can't say I blame you for that, Yuwen Yue; after all, were the positions reversed, I would've given the antidote to Linxi and left your grandfather to die in a heartbeat."

"I know you would've, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said, a thread of wryness weaving its way into his tone.

She looked at him sharply, clearly not appreciating his attempt at humor.

"So you killed Linxi instead of letting him die horribly, as you said. But you framed him, allowed everyone to think he was a traitor and a murderer."

Yuwen Yue said nothing. What was the point?

"Okay, so...what's the other secret? Knowing how twisted your family is, it's probably a really good one. If it's intertwined with Linxi's death...of course. Yuwen Zhuo is alive. Maybe he's been pulling the strings all along. Maybe he's been pulling your strings all along. I'll bet he'd love to have some outsider he could convince to kill his brother for him."

"You're right, Xing'er, but only partly right," Yuwen Yue managed to say calmly. "Yuwen Zhuo is still alive, but he's not awake. He's still in a coma. I don't know if he'll ever awaken again."

"Pity."

Yuwen Yue's mouth tightened.

"What? Were you expecting sympathy from me? My brother died and was dishonored for him, after all; I think I've given him enough."

With that, she whirled around and walked towards the stairs, bi li still grasped tightly in her hand. His face stayed placid even as his insides roiled. He knew his grandfather would've been smugly sympathetic.

As she reached the top of the stairs, however, she stopped, her foot poised over the first step. Slowly, she retracted it and turned back around to face Yuwen Yue. The pain in her eyes—pain he knew he'd caused—added to his suffering.

"Am I still free?" she asked.

His heart shattered fully.

"Of course, Xing'er," he said woodenly. "You and your sisters. I wouldn't go back on my word like that."

"No," Xing'er said thoughtfully. "You wouldn't. You're not that kind of man."

The walls in her eyes dropped suddenly, and he was able to see the war taking place within her. He refused to allow himself to hope.

"You're also not the kind of man to allow someone to suffer needlessly—or to pass up an opportunity to use that someone's death to protect those you love. Once again, I would've done the same. And you couldn't tell me because you knew I'd react..."

"Worse than you are now, honestly," Yuwen Yue said softly, hope rising in spite of his efforts.

A small, grim smile shaped Xing'er's lips.

"Yes, you know my temperament well. But I've learned my lessons well, and I've learned from your lessons and bitter experience that nothing good will come from me running off in anger. Mas...Yuwen Yue," she said, clearly making an effort to call him by his name. "I need a few days to think things over. Would you...be willing to answer more questions about this later?"

"So long as the answers don't endanger anyone else, yes."

"Of course you must protect your other secrets," she said.

Yuwen Yue merely inclined his head. Xing'er nodded hers.

"Okay, so I won't leave right away. I'll take time to think things through and ask you any questions I might have. I can't promise I won't still be angry about this later, but I do promise that I won't run off or leave without telling you first. There won't be any need since I'm free."

Yuwen Yue inclined his head again, this time because he didn't trust his voice.

 _She didn't leave,_ he thought to himself again. S _he's not promising to stay, but she didn't leave._

As she turned to go, both of them saw Yue Qi sprinting towards them from the gate. Yuwen Yue had never seen his house guard captain so discomposed, and he could tell that Xing'er hadn't, either. He clambered up the stairs without a trace of his usual self-control; his face was paler than usual beyond what could be explained away by moonlight.

"Report, Master," he said, catching his breath. "One of our spies just told me that the Emperor ordered attacks on Duke Dingbei, his entire family, and Yanbei itself."

His mouth fell open in shock and Xing'er gasped loudly, clutching her bi li in her fist. Yuwen Yue quickly regained control over himself outwardly, but this latest bit of terrible news did nothing to settle the turmoil within. He was almost afraid to ask Yue Qi for the rest, but he did so anyway.

"The duke and his wife survived, but the rest of his family...except for Yan Xun..."

Yuwen Yue's recent brush with heartbreak suddenly paled in comparison to the loss that his closest friend had just suffered. Xing'er had put the bi li down on the railing of the pavilion; Yuwen Yue realized she'd done so in order to avoid breaking the flute Yan Xun had given her by crushing it in her hands. She was now gripping the railing tightly, her face hard as jade in the moonlight and her eyes full of fire.

"Tens of thousands of Yanbei citizens were killed by Wei soldiers who tricked their way inside the city gates," Yue Qi said into the silence. "The Yanbei troops managed to repel them and to protect Yan Xun and his parents, but..."

"But the loss of life will be immense, and a costly, bitter war with Yanbei is inevitable," Yuwen Yue said.

Xing'er turned to face him, fury written in every line of her body language.

"If being a spy for the Eyes of God means helping Wei fight Yanbei, I'm leaving right now," Xing'er said. "I'm not blaming you, Yuwen Yue; I know that you can't risk the lives of everyone here to help a friend who's no longer here. You see, I learned your political lessons well."

"So you did, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said. "So you'll also remember what I said the best way to accomplish any change at the government level was."

"To wait for the right moment and then to take action ruthlessly and efficiently."

Yuwen Yue nodded his head once and waited, his heart in his throat. Yue Qi and Xing'er both looked at him with wide eyes as his meaning made itself clear to them. Part of him still expected Xing'er to run off and join their friend in his fight against Yanbei, causing carnage and chaos in her wake.

"Acting indifferent will be hard for us," Xing'er said softly.

"But not impossible," Yuwen Yue said.

"No," Xing'er replied. "You've taught us well...Yuwen Yue."

Yue Qi's eyes widened comically, but then he did something that seemed out-of-place given the recent circumstances: He grinned.

"Does that mean you're staying, Xing'er?" Yue Qi asked.

Yuwen Yue was unable to keep the longing from his eyes. Xing'er saw, but he couldn't bring himself to care. A potent look passed between them, and Yuwen Yue felt his heart soar.

"Yes, it does," she said firmly. "If there's one thing I've learned about Yuwen Yue, it's that he can accomplish anything he sets his mind to once he's made it up. And if he's decided to..."

Xing'er trailed off, not even wanting to voice the thoughts burning up her mind. Yuwen Yue gave her a small smile of pride, which caused her to look at him in shock.

"I can't promise anything, Xing'er," he said, "except that we'll do our best to help Yan Xun from here. As you said, I must work hard to protect my people-"

"Our people," Xing'er said firmly.

Yuwen Yue looked at her intensely.

"I'm not saying that we won't be talking about the past anymore, Yuwen Yue, but the present and future are much more important now. I won't let the guilty get away with their crimes, but I won't do anything foolish to put our people in danger."

Yuwen Yue was both disappointed and thankful that Yue Qi was standing there with them or he might've done something rash himself.

"We need to get some rest, Xing'er," he said. "You, too, Yue Qi. Tomorrow's going to be exhausting, and we need to do our best to be ready for it."

"Yes, Master," Yue Qi said, clasping his hands, bowing, and leaving.

The young master of Qing Shan Yuan was left alone with the woman he loved—the woman who'd just promised to stay at his side.

"For your first real decision as a free woman, you did fairly well, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said, approval in his gaze.

"I did, didn't I?" Xing'er replied, beaming.

Her face sobered as she once again picked up the bi li. Yuwen Yue realized with shock that he no longer felt jealousy when he looked at the flute, but only sadness.

"Xing'er, why didn't you leave?" he asked her the question he'd asked months ago, the one she'd never answered.

His beloved smiled at him, stepping closer. This time, he didn't step back.

"Because I already have everything I need," she said softly before turning away and heading for the steps, stopping to look at him once again. "And because I trust you, Yuwen Yue, no matter what part of me says."

With that, she left, leaving Yuwen Yue alone with his own thoughts. He allowed her to get across the courtyard before he also walked down the stairs, the various thoughts coalescing into plans in his head. His promise to Xing'er was going to take all of his skills to fulfill and could end up being the death of them all.

 _Grandfather would be so ashamed. So would Father—if he ever cared enough to find out about it, of course._

Yet the shame of his ancestors was not enough of a deterrent against the power of the drive he felt to help one of the few men he believed he could genuinely call "friend"-and to do anything to keep the woman he loved at his side.

* * *

AN: Okay, so there you have it. This story takes place in a world where Yuwen Zhuo hasn't yet awoken from his coma, which at least means that CQ (XE, really, at this point, and so I'll have her refer to herself when writing from her perspective) never runs away w/YX. A couple of people have requested some sort of YX redemption arc in a story; of course, my initial reaction was to snort softly and say "Not in this lifetime," but then I got to thinking that in this world, YX won't have to go completely dark because he'll still have his parents to guide him. He'll definitely go gray and will be full of righteous anger over the slaughter of his siblings and citizens, but this YX won't kill innocents or do anything like that. I'm not remotely interested in redeeming end-series YX, but I loved the heck out of early-series YX, so this YX will be a cross between the two.

Obviously there will be XingYue; as for other pairings, you can pry Meng Feng/Yuan Song from my cold, dead hands, so I'll find a way to make them happen. Otherwise, I have some ideas, but I'm open to suggestions. I'm going to have to rewatch the rest of the QSY episodes so that I'll be able to chart the likely changes caused by YWZ's absence; life is hard;). I feel like the premise of this story will present a fun opportunity to make Chun'er more than she was on the show, too. There may even be a Concubine Lan sighting (since she's everyone's favorite;P).

At any rate, this story is months away from being remotely close to ready. I'm not crazy enough to try to write this one the same time as DP, but I'll definitely be outlining/mapping it out over the next few months. I just wanted y'all to get a peek at this new world I'll be doing my best to craft—and to give y'all some XingYue that you won't be getting from this week's DP chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Here we go again, y'all. I still have no idea exactly where this story is going or where we'll end up, but as with "Different Path," I'll do my best to plot this thing and pull together a coherent narrative. This is easily the most ambitious story I've ever attempted; DP pales in comparison since all I had to do there was tweak the end of canon a bit and go from there. I'm having to completely reform this world and bring in our large cast of characters, so this thing is probably going to be long and rambly. Oh, well.

There will be angst. There will be delightful—at least to me—side pairings. There will be stupid decisions and ridiculous spy sequences and cheesy romantic moments. There will be happy endings, sad endings, and meh endings. There will be fighting, loving, skulking, sulking, and crying. And, of course, there will be XingYue. Lots and lots of XingYue. I know what y'all want by now, and y'all know what I can deliver. So I hope y'all enjoy this one; I'll do my best to not let y'all down. As before, I'll try to post every Friday, although life is, of course, unpredictable.

To anyone whose review/message I didn't reply to, I'm sorry. Sometimes I feel the need to disconnect for a bit, and finishing "Different Path" left me exhausted and in need of a break. I really do appreciate all of you even if I don't always say so. (Besides, I assume that if I were to ask you whether you wanted a review reply or XingYue, most of you would choose the latter;P.)

* * *

Xing'er stared down at the comatose figure lying in the bed before her, mixed feelings coursing through her as the shadows from the candlelight played over the face of the elder Yuwen. On the one hand, she was awed at the level of trust that Yuwen Yue had displayed in her by bringing her to this place; on the other…

The wooden bead that she always carried with her felt as heavy as lead in its small pocket within her robes as if the secrets contained therein were physically weighing her down. While the paper inside the bead itself didn't contain anything too controversial or damning, the secrets that the bead implied could ruin everything that Xing'er had worked so hard to build at Qing Shan Yuan. The fact that she was even contemplating telling Yuwen Yue the truth as she knew it verified another inconvenient truth that she'd come to understand over the past few months: She was in love with Yuwen Yue, and he was likely in love with her as well.

After she'd chosen to stay at Yuwen Yue's side instead of running away with Yan Xun, her master had opened his world to her gradually, teaching her extensively about philosophy, politics, strategy, and logic. While she had not reacted well to the first time that he'd matter-of-factly told her that he was teaching her how to think, in retrospect, she had to acknowledge that he'd done just that—at least in terms of figuring out the bigger picture and looking beneath the surface.

She'd applied those lessons she'd learned from her enigmatic master to the man himself, carefully observing his interactions with her when compared with his actions towards others. One of the first major differences she'd recognized had been in the difference in physicality during training sessions. While Yuwen Yue would, of course, come into physical contact with his men when teaching them fighting techniques, the touches were always brief and professional—albeit often painful. Yuwen Yue's training methods with her were...different, to say the least. He touched her significantly more often than he touched his men, and his touches always seemed to linger with her—especially during their archery and combat lessons.

His expressions when he looked at her were often different from those he bestowed on others, too. To most of the world, Yuwen Yue presented an indifferent, detached facade. While he would often put on that mask in front of her as well, she could recall numerous times when it had slipped to reveal a potent, intense expression that hinted of deeper feelings just beneath the surface. Xing'er had carefully watched her master to see if he ever looked at another person—male or female—the same way he looked at her, and as far as she could tell, he never did.

These and other clues had suggested to her that Yuwen Yue at least viewed her differently than he did anyone else and that he possibly had romantic feelings for her. This revelation had confused Xing'er at first since, if he'd felt that way about her, he could've taken what he'd wanted at any time. After all, she'd been his bedchamber maid, and the fact that a bedchamber's duties encompassed the master as well as the bedchamber itself was well-known in their society.

A simple solution had occurred to her and caused all sorts of conflicting emotions to rise up within her: Yuwen Yue didn't just desire her; he was also in love with her. She knew her master to be an honorable man in spite of some appearances to the contrary, so she figured that he might see taking her to bed in such a way as dishonorable or inappropriate regardless of social traditions.

Xing'er was no fool; she knew that any feelings he had for her would never be able to be realized in any official capacity, especially since he'd freed her. Now that she was no longer his servant, his only options for having any sort of official relationship with her would be to take her as either a concubine or a wife. The odds of him either wanting or being able to do such a thing were slim—especially with Yuwen Xi being the head of the family due to Yuwen Zhuo's supposed demise.

 _Not that Yuwen Zhuo likely would've approved of me, either,_ Xing'er admitted.

For a long time, she'd put off figuring out her own feelings for Yuwen Yue by using the low odds of a relationship forming between them as justification for procrastination. Her decision to pass up the chance for real freedom for herself and her sisters in order to stay in the dangerous, stressful world of Qing Shan Yuan had continued to weigh heavily on her, however, convincing her that only an even more powerful desire than freedom could've compelled her to turn down such an opportunity.

She'd eventually turned the same critical thinking tactics that she'd used to figure out Yuwen Yue's feelings for her on her own feelings, and the results had confirmed her fears. Xing'er had finally been forced to acknowledge—if only to herself—that she was in love with her master but that she needed to do everything possible to hide her feelings from the spymaster lest she lose everything.

The man she loved—for so she now knew him to be—shifted slightly beside her, his stoic expression good enough to fool almost everyone but her. He seemed to be lost in thought, so she took a few seconds to admire her beloved's handsome face and to feel sympathy for the sadness and grief that she knew that only a few others besides herself would be able to detect in his expression.

Xing'er returned her own eyes to the comatose man before her, his chest rising slowly but steadily in a never-ending rhythm. While she knew that the man in the bed would never allow his grandson to marry a woman like her even without knowing her probable identity, she still couldn't help but feel sorry for her now-former master. Yuwen Yue might not be the most demonstrative of men, but she knew him well enough to be able to tell that the spymaster viewed his grandfather with a great deal of affection and care.

 _Any affection Yuwen Zhuo might've harbored for me had he known me would've disappeared the moment I told him my real name—and the name of my mother._

Since Yuwen Yue seemed disinclined to leave the secret chamber, Xing'er allowed her mind to wander back in time to the series of incidents that had set her on her current path—and had been the starting point of her realizing that the feelings her master had had for her might've gone beyond that of master for servant. Of course, this circumstance had also led to her regaining a portion of her memories and being burdened with her current moral dilemma.

* * *

Xing'er had not hesitated to run head-long into what she'd instantly identified as a probable trap laid for her by the Liang spies. A black-clad figure had deliberately allowed himself to be caught by her while she had been practicing her writing on the second floor of the pavilion and had delivered what had been obviously-scripted lines meant to draw her out of Qing Shan Yuan. Considering that Xing'er had been looking for any excuse to go after the Liang spies herself, a masked messenger gloating about the impending death of her master had been a more-than-satisfactory excuse to do so.

She'd taken a few seconds to knock the man out, tie him up, and turn him over to the remaining house guards for future interrogation before sprinting for the stables. Yuwen Yue had recently gifted her not only with the seal for leaving but also the use of the horse he'd designated as hers whenever she wished, so she was on her way in no time.

The inn in which she knew the Liang spies had been staying was quiet, and no unusual activity met her eyes as she carefully looked for evidence of her master or the Yue guards. She acknowledged that being unable to see anything out of the ordinary didn't mean that nothing was going on considering that some of the best spies in the world were involved in this current situation.

Xing'er quickly realized that she was likely going to have to look elsewhere for her master as a bit more surreptitious searching turned up nothing. She'd come into town on foot, so she didn't have to worry about dealing with her horse or drawing undue attention to herself. Heading further into town seemed like a logical course of action, so she did so, keeping her eyes and ears open as she searched for any evidence of Yuwen Yue or the Liang spies.

The unmistakable sound of swords clashing and blows landing drew her attention to a shop not far from her current location. She considered sneaking up on it to scope out the situation, but the sight of Yue Qi flying backwards through the doorway put an end to that notion—as did the subsequent appearance of the fan-wielding spy who'd tried to kill her at the lantern festival.

Just as Xing'er hadn't hesitated to set out to rescue her master, so she didn't waste any time blocking the spy's fan slash with the scabbard of Can Hong Jian and pushing the admittedly beautiful man back towards the doorway to the shop. She drew her sword and started a dangerous dance with the spy, ignoring Yue Qi's feeble protests that she shouldn't be there and that he and the master had everything under control. Part of Xing'er was tempted to shoot off a snappy retort about how well Yue Qi had obviously been doing in his fight, but all of her concentration was required to keep the Liang spy from getting the better of her. Her mind barely registered Yue Qi's departure as the mysterious man attempted to slice her neck open.

She blocked the fan with sword and scabbard, occasionally trapping the man's unusual weapon between her own. Such entrapments never lasted for more than a split second, however, as the spy would twist the fan out of her grasp and slash it towards her once more. Xing'er held her own, though, quickly settling into the rhythm of the fight and using all of the skills that her master had taught her.

Taking advantage of the briefest of openings, she sliced the spy with her sword, only managing to open a shallow cut on one of his arms. The man returned the favor in a few parries, managing to place a narrow crease on her neck that would've been fatal had she not fallen backwards so quickly. She swiftly recovered her footing and lashed out in a series of aggressive blows, forcing the spy backwards into the shop.

Xing'er took a couple of seconds to evaluate the situation as her opponent reeled back into a table and knocked over a couple of vases, sending them to the floor. The noise of their shattering blended with the horrified squawks of the odd little shopkeeper, who was huddled behind his counter. Her master was fighting the woman she recognized as the top spy of Liang, their blades moving so fast her eyes could barely follow them. This illusion was further enhanced by the flexible nature of the Liang spy's sword as it bent and warped around Po Yue Jian. Oddly enough, two women she'd never seen before were also fighting, one of them even wielding peacock feathers as weapons.

The male spy rushed her, drawing her attention back to the fight at hand. Xing'er engaged the spy once again, continuing the give and take such a fight required. Both she and the spy scored a few more minor hits on each other, but the man showed no signs of slowing down even though she was his second opponent of the day. She knew that if she were going to gain the upper hand, she'd have to do something unexpected.

Without warning, she dropped her scabbard and angled Can Hong Jian into a defensive position, reaching inside of her robes and pulling her dagger. She blocked the spy's latest fan slice with her sword as she whipped the dagger forward and into the unsuspecting man's side. Although she tried to take advantage of the man's obvious pain by striking another blow, the spy quickly reached into his own robes and pulled out a mysterious jar, which he shook and threw at the floor.

Thick, billowing smoke rapidly filled the shop, causing all within it to start coughing and covering their faces with their sleeves. Xing'er lost track of everyone as she held her left sleeve up to her face with her bloody dagger still clenched tightly in her fist. Her right hand was still clasped around Can Hong Jian, knowing that an enemy could lash out at her with no warning.

An odd swishing sound came from across the room, but she didn't dare move towards the noise since she still couldn't see anything. She was aware of other footsteps sounding around her, but none came near her to attack. At long last, the smoke finally cleared just enough for her to detect a secret passage that had been opened at the back of the store. Sheathing her dagger and grabbing her scabbard from the ground, she darted through the half-opened door and silently moved down the short hallway towards the sounds of fighting she heard coming from what sounded like an immense underground space.

Xing'er was forced to pull up short as she reached the end of the corridor as the sight that met her eyes stopped her in her tracks. Her master was fighting both of the female spies at once, his elegant white robes and sleek black hair still managing to look pristine in spite of the fight he'd been engaged in for so long. While she knew that her own skills were considerable, Xing'er couldn't help but realize just how much she still had to learn from her master.

The shopkeeper's shriek as one of the spies brought her sword down on a clay statue brought Xing'er out of her funk and propelled her forward. Without missing a beat, she instinctively positioned herself at her master's side and started fighting one of the women she didn't recognize. She saw no sign of the woman who'd wielded the peacock feathers or the man she'd been fighting, so she put them out of her mind as she performed her own part of this intricate dance with her master.

His expression told her in no uncertain terms that he was displeased with her presence, but she simply gave him that defiantly innocent smile that she knew always made him frown all the harder. As she got her expected result, she grinned internally at her ability to get under her master's skin. The grin slid from her face as she almost got gut-sliced, her hand instinctively placing her scabbard at the right place at the right time. She lost herself in the fight, unaware of the passage of time or her position in the enormous cavern.

Without warning, her opponent locked their swords together and shoved her backwards through an opening and into the odd shopkeeper, who had apparently come here to escape the fight. The man seemed to enjoy helping her up a little too much, so she whirled around and started berating him loudly while backing away from him. She saw his eyes widen, and she felt a stab of satisfaction as she assumed that he was reacting to her.

Several things happened at once. A harsh grating sound came from behind her. A warm, hard weight impacted her body as if shielding her from something happening nearby. A great boom sounded as if the whole world had come down on top of her. Her senses identified the figure at her back as that of her master. The shopkeeper began to complain stridently.

Wanting to escape the men at her back and to regain her rattled wits, she strode back towards the thick stone door that had apparently been lowered by one of the spies they'd been fighting. Even though she knew such an exercise was pointless, she pounded on the door anyway, as did her master. The shopkeeper confirmed her suspicions and told them that the door couldn't be opened and that they were all trapped here forever.

Her master didn't seem particularly perturbed by this dramatic pronouncement, but Xing'er knew how well the stone-faced man could hide the few feelings he had from everyone else. She banged on the door again, this time trying to use the hilt of Can Hong Jian. Xing'er scowled when nothing happened.

"Did you really expect that to work, Xing'er?" Yuwen Yue asked her.

"No, but doing something's always better than doing nothing."

"Is that how you came to be here, Xing'er? I distinctly remember forbidding you from coming on this mission."

"A man dressed in black snuck into Qing Shan Yuan and told me that you and your men would soon be killed. Naturally I had to come and rescue you."

"Did you really fall into such an obvious trap? When we leave here, never tell anyone I'm your teacher."

"Of course I didn't fall into the trap! I ran into the trap with my eyes wide open! I knew you needed my help regardless of whether this was a trap or not, so I decided to come rescue you anyway."

Her master simply looked at her contemptuously, his thoughts about her rescue skills plain.

"Don't look at me like that, Master! Had I not shown up when I did, Yue Qi would've gotten killed."

"Perhaps that male spy simply wanted you to think so, Xing'er. After all, he obviously wanted to lure you into the shop so that they could spring their trap."

"I'm sure that Yue Qi would've been fine with waiting around to learn whether or not the spy really intended to kill him."

"That's not the point, Xinger. I specifically told you not to come here and you did anyway."

"To save you—which I would've done, by the way, had you not jumped in here after me. Why did you do that, _Master_? After all, I'm just your slave. You could've beaten Liang's top spy, rid yourself of your troublesome bedchamber maid, and been home in time for the evening meal."

"Oh, 'Why did you do that, Master?' she asks," the shopkeeper said in a high-pitched voice while shaking his head. "Is it really so hard to understand? Oh, who in the Heavens did I anger enough that I lost my entire shop and got stuck in these caves with you two young lovers?"

* * *

Yuwen Zhuo's loyal servant entered the room with a bowl of medicine, bringing Xing'er suddenly back to the present. The smell of damp rocks faded and was replaced with the dryer stony scent of Yuwen Yue's secret chamber. Xing'er caught herself wistfully smiling over the memory of her argument with Yuwen Yue and swiftly wiped the look from her face. After all, displaying such an expression at the bedside of Yuwen Yue's comatose grandfather would likely give both her beloved and the bodyguard the wrong idea.

 _Was that accusation from Zuo Man Cang the first time I wondered how things truly were between Yuwen Yue and I?_ She mused as she stared down at Yuwen Zhuo as the servant gently forced the old man to drink the medicine. _Or did I dismiss his ramblings as those of a madman who was just trying to make trouble? No, I don't think I truly began to ponder Yuwen Yue's feelings for me until Zuo Man Cang told me the truth about our swords._

Xing'er could still feel the dampness from that cave in her bones as she remembered being so lost in thought about the shopkeeper's accusations and revelations that she hadn't even been watching where she'd been going. The slick patch of mud had given her shoes no purchase on the cave's floor and had slipped her feet out from under her before she'd had a chance to figure out what was happening.

Then the warm, firm press of her master's hand had grasped her waist and his dark eyes had bored down into hers and she'd realized in a flash of clarity that her body would've reacted quite differently to similar contact from the shopkeeper. Maybe that moment had been the true start of her dawning awareness of Yuwen Yue's feelings for her rather than the sword conversation—or maybe she'd never be able to put a finger on the specific time when she'd first thought that maybe her perceptions of the way her master viewed her had been flawed.

Any thoughts of smiling faded away as she remembered something else she'd gained from that cave experience: the memories that she'd recovered with the help of the shopkeeper. At that time, they'd created more questions than given answers, and the few times she'd returned to him had resulted only in the return of more fragmented memories that meant nothing to her. Not that she'd dropped the acquaintance with the funny little man; she'd learned enough about the spy business to know that you needed to keep such resourceful, helpful contacts on your side if at all possible.

 _Should I really tell Yuwen Yue who I think I am?_ She wondered again. _After all, I don't really know for sure. Besides, I can't say anything while Zhan Mou's here; he'd probably try to kill me on the spot if he found out the truth—or, at least, what I think is the truth._

As if the man somehow knew that his absence would inconvenience her, the servant left with the empty bowl, leaving her alone with her former master again. The weight of the bead seemed to double once more as if it were being burdened by her conscience itself. Part of her mind wondered how she could possibly risk so much by telling the truth; another mental voice admonished that she couldn't keep concealing the truth from the man she loved.

 _And then there's that last little part of me that, irritatingly enough, tells me that I can trust Yuwen Yue completely no matter how bad the situation seems._

Xing'er looked up at the man who'd freed her and saw that he'd turned his face from his grandfather and was examining her instead. His expression was mildly quizzical as if he knew she'd been thinking about something important and was now waiting for her to tell him the details. While she knew her beloved to be immensely perceptive, she knew that he had no idea of what she was about to say.

 _Yuwen Yue, you wanted me to stay here of my own free will, but you need to decide of your own free will if you want me to stay here, too,_ Xing'er thought, dread pooling in her stomach.

As if her hand were acting of its own accord, it reached clumsily into her robe and pulled out the heavy bead. Its retrieval resembled what she imagined an arrow's removal would feel like: Painful, but a relief as well. She did her best to keep her expression neutral as she slowly extended her hand with the bead in it towards Yuwen Yue. His face bore the haughty scowl that he often wore when he was confused about something but was hiding his his ignorance with an arrogant mask.

"Yuwen Yue," she said, hating the quaver that formed in her voice in spite of her best efforts. "This is all I have left of who I used to be. A few days ago, you entrusted me with a truth that you knew could make me leave here; now I'm doing the same."

"Who are you, Xing'er?" he asked, his eyes growing wary and cold as he took the bead from her hand and examined it. "Did you finally remember? Or did you ever really forget?"

Xing'er's eyes flashed, but she held her temper. After all, she'd expected such a reaction from the man she loved, but she hoped that he'd be more reasonable once she revealed the truth and gave him time to think things through.

 _You trusted me to stand by you and forgive you, Yuwen Yue; i'm trusting you to do the same for me._

"I still don't know for sure, Yuwen Yue, but I know enough to understand that I need to tell you who I think I am."

"Why?"

"What do you mean, 'Why?' Don't you want to know who I am?"

"Do you want to tell me who you are? Do you even want to know who you really are?"

Xing'er smiled humorlessly. "I don't think either of us wants to know my identity, but...Do you remember what you said a few days ago about knowing that I would somehow find out the truth about..." she gestured around the hidden chamber.

Yuwen Yue's lips twitched slightly. "In other words, you're afraid that if you don't tell me what you've learned, I'll find out the details of your past in some horrible way that could be dangerous for us."

"Mm."

"That does sound like something that would happen to us, Xing'er," he said mildly, clasping the bead tightly in his hand.

"Mm."

"Your eloquence on this subject really inspires my confidence, Xing'er."

"I'm sorry I haven't confessed my deepest, darkest secrets as smoothly as you'd like."

"You haven't confessed them at all, Xing'er," he said, that smug look she hated so much on his face. "In fact, you've almost gone out of your way to _not_ confess them."

"Surely you've done research into my past, Yuwen Yue," she said with exaggerated innocence. "I have a hard time believing that someone as skilled at finding out information about others as you are was unable to figure out the identity of a single simple slave girl."

Her former master glared at her in exasperation and she felt a stab of satisfaction before the regret set in. She'd allowed her temper—and her fear-to get the best of her again, and if she couldn't rein those impulses in, she might end up losing everything.

"I learned plenty about your past, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said. "I simply hit a dead end and could go no further."

"Did you want to go further?"

He scowled at her.

"Just as I have a hard time believing that you couldn't find out information about me, I also have a hard time believing that you couldn't put together the pieces you found and draw the right conclusion."

"And just what is the right conclusion, Xing'er? Are you finally going to tell me how a woman with such immense inner power could end up losing her memory and becoming a slave? Are you finally going to tell me how you can learn martial arts techniques so effortlessly? Or maybe you're finally going to tell me who your real parents are."

Xing'er's lips pursed tightly, but she controlled her emotions and kept the sarcastic retort inside of herself where it belonged. Instead, she found herself shakily telling Yuwen Yue the fragments of her memories, his face growing harder and colder after the sharing of each detail. The names and places she deliberately kept vague as she found herself unable to bring herself to give him the specifics that he wanted.

 _He already knows them anyway,_ she thought in anguish as she narrated the details of her clifftop fight and subsequent tumble into the water. _He already knows who I'm talking about, who I am; he just can't bring himself to speak the truth, either._

"This mysterious man," Yuwen Yue said with exaggerated calm. "Did he tell you his name?"

"Do you often tell people your name while you're trying to kill them?" she asked innocently. "If so, please tell me so I can work that into my combat tactics."

"You didn't answer the question, Xing'er. Not that I'm surprised."

His dismissive, mocking tone and the sum of her accumulated fears snapped something inside of her.

"You already know what his name is, Yuwen Yue! You already know my mother's name. You probably already know my name, too. You probably know where my inner power comes from, what it can do, and what organization my mother headed and that I could head, too, if I ever regained my memories. You already know these things, but you insist on making me spell them out for you because the truth makes you angry and scared."

"Your faith in my powers of deduction is truly touching, Xing'er."

Part of Xing'er tried to tell her that everything from Yuwen Yue's words to his closed-off, arrogant body language came from a place of fear, but the rest of her was unable to stop the torrent of words that burst forth from her.

"Are you really going to make me do this, Yuwen Yue? Okay. Fine. The man I killed was named Yuwen Hao. He started the fight. He tried to kill me first. I defended myself from him. I killed him and was glad I killed him. Like everyone else in his family, he seemed to feel immense pleasure at causing pain to others."

The flash of hurt in Yuwen Yue's eyes touched the vindictive part of her that had roared to life and was twitching its tail in approval.

"I was picked up by slavers, transported in a rolling cage for who knows how long, and purchased by the Yuwen household for their pleasure. Your wonderful family reintroduced itself to me by trying to kill me multiple times and then brutally killing two of my siblings. Something tells me Yuwen Hao was not an outlier in terms of character."

Yuwen Yue's face didn't acknowledge the hit as it had already hardened into jade-like stillness.

"My mother's name was Luo He. She was the leader of the Underworld. She passed the Feng Yun Ling down to me. Not that I can remember what that means or how to control any of those powers, but I know it to be true nevertheless. In my dreams...In my dreams, she calls me Chu Qiao," she finished in a whisper as the defiance and rage drained out of her.

The man she'd once hoped loved her stared at her impassively, his eyes as inaccessible to her as they'd been at their first meeting. He stared at her mutely, either unable or unwilling to say anything to her. Had she really shocked Yuwen Yue senseless or was he simply so appalled at her revelations that he didn't even want to acknowledge her?

 _I don't care,_ she thought, desiring nothing more than to run away just like she always did whenever she felt the walls closing in. _I can escape with my sisters to Yanbei and fight at Yan Xun's side. He needs me, after all; I know he does. I could help him. We could take down the emperor and the nobles together and get vengeance for our people. Yuwen Yue...Yuwen Yue doesn't need me. He never did and he never will._

The admission shattered her heart, but she was unwilling to end this conversation without at least attempting reconciliation. She knew that saying anything to Yuwen Yue when he was like this was pointless, but she had to try anyway.

"I didn't tell you any of this to hurt you, Yuwen Yue," she said. "I felt that you needed to know the truth about my past the same way that you believed that I needed to know the details of Linxi's death. You were honest with me even though you knew that the truth could hurt us both; how could I be any less so with you?"

Yuwen Yue continued to stare at her wordlessly, his eyes full of distrust, pain, and a bevy of other negative emotions. Xing'er cursed herself for being such a love-struck fool and for ruining one of the only good things she'd ever had in her life—especially this close to…

"Do you still trust me to guard you tonight?" she asked dully, knowing that there was a good chance that he wouldn't trust her to watch over him during this most vulnerable of times.

Xing'er kicked herself once again for her terrible sense of timing as her beloved gazed back at her in stony silence.

"You probably should," he said, a sardonic gleam entering his eyes. "As you well know, the Third Branch is quite fond of its assassination attempts."

"So you trust me more than you trust the rest of your family? How heart-warming."

"I trust your hatred of them if nothing else."

Xing'er gave him a humorless smile and gestured at the wooden bead with her head.

"Inside that bead is a piece of spy paper with instructions written on it. You're welcome to read it if you want."

A flash of startlement appeared on his face as he looked at the bead in his hand, clearly having forgotten he was even holding it. He shuddered and released his grip on it, raising his opened palm and holding it out to her as if he were holding the most repulsive object in the world.

"Here, Chu Qiao," he said coldly as he thrust the bead into her instinctively-cupped hands.

Xing'er was unable to keep the agony that ripped through her from showing on her face as her hand convulsed around the wooden bead that was still warm from her beloved's hand.

"Don't call me Chu Qiao!" she yelled as she threw the bead on the ground as hard as she could. Its top popped off and the paper within went skittering across the floor into the darkness, but she couldn't make herself care.

"I'm not Chu Qiao," she whispered as a sob tried to fight its way out of her body. "I'm not..."

She turned away from the man she loved and stared unseeingly at Yuwen Zhuo's slack face, wishing that she could follow his example and lose herself in the welcoming bliss of unconsciousness. Xing'er squared her shoulders, however, knowing that, one way or another, she would get no sleep tonight.

"I'm not Chu Qiao," she said, never taking her eyes from the former patriarch of the Yuwen family. "Yuwen Hao killed Chu Qiao, and you killed whatever might've been left of her. I'm just Xing'er now—and Xing'er is all I ever want to be."

Her beloved said nothing, so after a few more moments, she slowly turned around and left the secret chamber with her head held high. No matter what Yuwen Yue decided to do, she still had some preparations to make for tonight. As he'd said, she knew that the Third Branch would likely send someone to kill him again, and when they did, she'd be ready for them no matter what he said.

* * *

Later that night, Xing'er stood miserably between Yuwen Yue's bed and the multiple sets of doors that opened onto the main courtyard, her body robed entirely in black and Can Hong Jian clasped firmly in her hand. Behind her and off to the side, Yuwen Yue sat at his table, stubbornly reading the latest Eyes of God report instead of sitting cross-legged in bed and centering himself like he should've been doing. Xing'er ground her teeth in frustration at the pig-headedness of the man she loved, but she knew that trying to tell him what to do would only result in further obstinate displays.

 _Not that I can really say anything to him about using bad judgment,_ she admitted to herself, her face forward and hard like ice. _After all, I'm the idiot who decided to come clean about her checkered past at the worst possible time. What was I thinking?_

 _You knew exactly what you were thinking_ _by waiting until Yuwen Yue was weak before saying anything_ _,_ another part of her rationally and incisively said. _You knew that, if he took your news badly, you'd be able to escape from him with your sisters before he killed you. You knew that he'd be forced to think about the things you'd told him before he could act. You hoped that he'd be able to see your confession for the act of love it was rather than the betrayal it was not. You hoped he'd tell you that your past and previous identity don't matter because he loves you anyway. Instead...well...at least he didn't try to kill you._

 _No, he didn't try to kill me_ , she answered the voice back. _And he didn't make me leave, either. He allowed me to_ _make his medicine, brew him tea, and_ _guard him at his most vulnerable. Maybe…_

Xing'er's mental argument was interrupted by the crackling of folding paper and the rustling of Yuwen Yue's robes that signaled his imminent retreat to his bed. While she longed to help the man she loved, she knew that he wouldn't welcome such attentions from her—especially not tonight. Besides, she was here to guard him, not to comfort him.

As her former master settled into the proper posture for meditation, she glanced back at the Cangwu parrot, who had taken his place on the perch near Yuwen Yue's bed. He dipped his head once, affirming that he remembered his part of the plan they'd cobbled together with the Yue guards should an attack happen. Xing'er turned her head back towards the doors and settled in for a long night's wait, knowing that whatever band of morons that the Third Branch managed to hire this year would likely wait until the dead of night to attack.

She knew that all of Qing Shan Yuan was crawling with house guards and servants, but she understood that, if events unfolded as she expected them to, all of them would have to work hard to protect their master. When she'd first broached the possibility of tweaking their normal plans for guarding Yuwen Yue during his illness's annual peak, she'd been surprised at the lack of resistance she'd met. Apparently, all of them had come to trust her—and all of the ones that she'd trusted enough to bring into the plan had been eager to help their master.

 _They all trust me to guard Yuwen Yue with my life, while he…_

Xing'er shoved those useless thoughts to the side as she forced herself to relax, closing her eyes and entering a state that was almost a type of meditation in and of itself. As silence settled over Qing Shan Yuan, she widened her senses as Yuwen Yue had taught her so that she could tap into the ebb and flow of sound and motion around this beautiful place that she'd somehow come to see as her home. All the while, she was conscious of Yuwen Yue's gaze burning a hole in her back as if he were trying to see past her dark robes and pale skin and into the heart beneath it all.

 _I'll show you my heart, Yuwen Yue,_ she vowed as time continued to pass them by.

Eventually she heard the parrot's breathing slow into slumber, and she felt a flash of affection for this irritating yet loyal bird who would, she knew, lay down his life to protect Yuwen Yue just as she would. True, they still insulted each other on a regular basis, but she trusted this parrot more than many two-legged creatures she knew. She was glad that her feathered friend was going to get some sleep since she knew his contribution to their plans wouldn't be needed until the end of the fight—if at all.

Any need for further reflection was interrupted by the barest brush of something...wrong against her extended senses, causing her back to stiffen instinctively. Had anyone asked her what she'd felt, she wouldn't have been able to answer, but she knew she'd sensed it nevertheless.

Her warning senses jangled a second alarm at her and her eyes popped open. Xing'er slowly turned around and looked at Yuwen Yue for the first time since she'd taken her post. As she'd suspected, sweat beaded his exceedingly pale face and the few movements he managed to make seemed slurred and sluggish. His eyes met hers and swallowed her whole as they so often did, their potency not diluted in the slightest by his weakness. She couldn't decipher any of what she found in his gaze, so she was glad when he broke eye contact while gingerly drawing Po Yue Jian from its scabbard with the barest whisper of steel.

Xing'er's heart clenched at the way that Yuwen Yue's sword trembled in his limp grasp, but she knew that her former master would do everything he could to defend himself if the need to do so arose. She fiercely vowed that it wouldn't.

The first clang of swords rang out over the previously silent courtyard, and their eyes met again. Yuwen Yue stared impassively back at her, neither condemnation nor affirmation in his expression. She did her best to convey trustworthy reassurance with her eyes, but she was afraid that, as usual, she'd failed to communicate well with the man she loved.

More shouts and clashes sounded, and the unmistakable sound of chains rattling confirmed Xing'er's suspicions. Displaying their typical lack of originality and their irritating consistency, the Third Branch had apparently decided to give the Afterlife Camp yet another chance to assassinate Yuwen Yue. The fight seemed to be drawing ever closer to the main courtyard, and Xing'er allowed a smile to cross her face for the first time that day. She'd given orders—or made suggestions, in some cases—and they were, at least so far, being followed.

A hoarse yell cut across the courtyard and Xing'er's muscles tensed, her instincts begging for her to rush out and join the fray. She easily conquered those urges, however, reminding herself that nothing mattered more than Yuwen Yue's safety. Her fight would come soon enough, and she knew she had to be ready to face what would likely be the best that the Afterlife Camp had to offer.

As the battle raged on just outside of the courtyard, Xing'er withdrew her small crossbow with her free hand and checked it for the second time that night. It was loaded and ready to go, so she replaced it in her robes and turned her focus to her other weapons. The packet of darts she withdrew and sniffed, confirming that she'd packed the ones that would render an enemy unconscious in a moment. Her dagger was tucked at her side and was a reassuring, steady presence should she lose Can Hong Jian. She almost reached up to touch her hair, but she knew that her small assassin's knife was still tucked where she'd left it. Her feather ring glistened on her finger, and the brown band of her slingshot rested lightly on her wrist.

Xing'er was as ready for this fight as she could possibly be, and the sounds outside told her that her time had almost come. She felt no fear, knowing that the weak, shaky ragamuffin she'd been a year ago had been replaced with a fierce, determined warrior with no jade snow dog to freeze the heart that was currently on fire. The Third Branch was once again trying to take that which was hers, and she vowed that they'd only be able to do so over her lifeless corpse.

The first sounds of battle rang out in the main courtyard, and the Cangwu parrot awoke with an undignified squawk. Xing'er looked back at him and nodded once, causing the excitable bird to fly up to the ceiling and settle into the shadows of a corner near one of the sets of double doors. In the time the bird took to secret himself away, the sounds of combat had entirely filled the courtyard.

Xing'er smiled again as she strode confidently over to a window facing the courtyard and carefully rested Can Hong Jian against the wall nearby. She ran around the room and doused all of the lights inside, causing shouts of confusion and warning to ring out from the assassins. To her relief, the servants came through for her and lit as many lamps, lanterns, and torches as they'd been able to gather. As a result, the distinctive frames of the Afterlife Camp assassins—including the coffin-shaped boxes they wore on their backs—were silhouetted against the inside of the walls, doors, and windows of the now-darkened room in which she stood.

The Yue guards dropped to the ground as she dashed for the window she'd just left, pulling her crossbow from her robes once again. She didn't even bother to look out the window as her instincts guided her hand to shoot six bolts in succession at the shadows she'd seen. Six men with coffin boxes on their backs dropped, hopefully never to rise again. The guards cheered and returned to the fight, which Xing'er was able to observe thanks to the bright light of the courtyard. She felt no urge to relight the lanterns because she knew the inside of these rooms at least as well as she knew her own, if not better. Anyone who reached this point would have to fight in the dark against someone who knew the location of every small table and incense burner.

For a few moments, Xing'er wondered if she might not have to fight tonight after all, but then she noticed that the remaining assassins were pushing hard to get out of the courtyard. She knew that they could simply be doing so in order to avoid the risk of getting shot, but she couldn't help but feel that her instincts had been right this time. Xing'er tightened her grip on Can Hong Jian, unable to escape the feeling that the toughest part of the night was yet to come.

A light in the courtyard went out, and Xing'er took a few steps toward the double doors. The servants had been ordered to run as soon as they'd done their jobs so that they wouldn't get caught in the crossfire, so Xing'er knew that nobody was guarding the lanterns. Another light went out, and Xing'er withdrew the packet of darts from her robe with her right hand. She knew that the odds of taking out whoever was going to come through those doors with such a basic trick were low, but she wanted to at least gain a few seconds of advantage time by knocking her opponent off-balance.

The last light went off, leaving only the pale moonlight outside to light up the night. Xing'er didn't mind since she figured that a lack of light put her enemy at a much greater disadvantage than she herself would experience. She was tempted to briefly turn her back on the enemy outside and check on Yuwen Yue, but the last thing she wanted to face at the moment was a gaze full of mistrust and scorn. To his credit, he hadn't questioned her actions thus far, but Xing'er acknowledged that the cause of that might simply be a lack of energy.

The doors blew inward without warning, and Xing'er released her handful of darts in a wide spray that the assassin dodged with ease. A chain with a spike at the end flew towards Xing'er, but she deflected it with the scabbard of Can Hong Jian, which she'd drawn as soon as she'd released her darts. Xing'er ran towards the assassin, wanting to take away his range advantage by closing with him and forcing him to fight only with his sword. A flutter of wings sounded in front of her, and she saw the parrot fly through the open doors towards the distant sounds of battle.

Moonlight poured in through the doorway, bathing the silently-clashing fighters in an otherworldly glow. Oddly enough, the assassin wasn't wearing the coffin box and grotesque mask of his peers, settling only for a simple black piece of fabric over the face to conceal his identity. His swordsmanship was excellent, and Xing'er found herself being tested in combat in a way she hadn't since she'd last fought the Liang spies.

Their swords and scabbards danced around one another in a manner that Xing'er knew would appear as a blur to an outside observer, but Xing'er had no trouble keeping up with her opponent. They battled fiercely over the man on the bed holding his sword, but Xing'er didn't experience a single moment of doubt that she would emerge from this fight victorious. After all, she was fighting for the man she loved, and all the assassin was trying to do was to kill someone for money.

Xing'er slashed at the assassin's throat and caught his face covering instead, ripping it away to reveal not a man but a beautiful woman beneath. Her eyes widened in shock as she beheld a face that rivaled those of the Liang spies and even Princess Chun'er in terms of attractiveness. The assassin took advantage of Xing'er's momentary surprise, slashing her own sword inward and slicing one of Xing'er's biceps.

She felt the pain in an abstract sense, but she didn't pause for a moment as she continued to battle her foe. Her scabbard caught the mysterious woman's sword and she pushed backward in triumph, slicing her on her side and shoving her away. The assassin retaliated with a swift kick to the midsection that Xing'er never saw coming. She caught the assassin on the throat with her feather ring as she flew backwards towards Yuwen Yue's bed, but that didn't stop the woman from wrapping Xing'er up with her chains and dropping her in a heap on the floor.

"X'er!" Yuwen Yue rasped hoarsely.

As if in slow motion, Xing'er saw the assassin withdraw a packet of darts similar to the one she'd emptied to begin the fight what seemed like hours ago. Xing'er struggled against the chains, but they were wrapped firmly around her arms and middle, preventing her from drawing her dagger or her assassin's knife. The woman grasped the darts in her hands with the motions of a professional, displaying an obvious competence with the weapon that she was going to use to end the life of the man Xing'er loved.

Yelling her fiercest battle cry, Xing'er shoved off the floor with her hands and knees, ignoring the pain as the chains dug into her wrists. Somehow she got enough height to intercept all of the darts that had been flying towards her beloved, her heart shattering as her name forced itself brokenly through his trembling lips once again. Xing'er hit the ground again with a thud, her body already beginning to lose feeling and control of itself as whatever poison had been on those darts started to do its work.

She pushed her fists against the floor again and managed to come to her knees, trying her best to position herself in front of Yuwen Yue's bed in spite of the chains binding her arms in place. Her beloved shifted behind her, the sound of Po Yue Jian being slowly raised reaching her ears. Xing'er knew that Yuwen Yue would do his best to defend himself, but she knew he wouldn't be able to stand, much less take even a single blow from such a proficient sword-wielder. The frantic squawking of the Cangwu bird reached Xing'er's ears, but she could tell that he would not be able to bring the Yue guards in time to help them.

A shift of her hips brought the grip of her dagger within reach, so she grasped it and pulled, unsure of what she could do with it in her current situation but determined to protect Yuwen Yue with her dying breath. Eyes dark like obsidian, the assassin approached Xing'er and easily batted away the knife she'd tried to thrust into the woman's side. Her range of motion had been so limited, however, that all she'd managed to do was to get knocked back to the floor again.

She blacked out for a moment as the poison continued to take its toll, regaining consciousness at the sound of the tip of a sword hitting the ground not far from her face. Xing'er looked up and saw the man she loved struggling to come to his feet. Knowing how weak he was, she marveled in pride as her beloved made his last stand, unwilling to die in a heap on his bed instead of defending himself.

 _No; defending me_ , she thought with bleary wonder as Yuwen Yue blocked a blow that had been meant for her, leaving himself completely open in the process.

"No," Xing'er said, still trying to regain her feet. "Yuwen Yue," she whispered, her hands giving out as she slumped over on the floor.

To her surprise, the assassin was standing there with a puzzled look on her face and eyeing them as if she were trying to figure something out. Yuwen Yue had regained his defensive pose and was standing straight-backed and tall, his disheveled hair and sweaty face unable to detract from how beautiful he looked to Xing'er as he protected her. As if she were experimenting, the assassin acted like she was going to attack Xing'er again, appearing to reach a decision as Yuwen Yue once again left himself vulnerable to attack in Xing'er's defense.

She dropped her weapon on the ground and stepped back from them, giving Yuwen Yue a measured stare. Now he was the one to gaze in confusion as he tried to make his mouth work to ask her what she was doing. Xing'er had the same idea herself, but the poison coursing through her body had made speaking—or any other type of movement—extremely difficult.

"I'm finished killing for him," the woman said in a low voice. "He poisons us with the same thing I shot her with. If I do the job right, I get the antidote after returning. If I don't...I have three days before I need the next antidote. Once you've recovered, I can lead you to our lair. I can get you inside. I can take you to the master. I can help you fight them."

"W-why?" Yuwen Yue managed to ask.

"Wouldn't you want to be free?"

Xing'er felt an immense amount of resonance with that sentiment, remembering well the feelings that had filled her when she'd realized that not only was she free but that Yuwen Yue wanted her to stay at his side. Not that she trusted the woman; this had to be a trick that Yuwen Huai had devised to toy with Yuwen Yue.

"W-why sh-should I-"

"Trust me? You shouldn't. But what choice do you have? If you don't trust me, she dies. That poison will kill her horribly in less than a week without the antidote. As I said earlier, I only have three days. Rest. Recover. Follow me to our hideout. Sneak in. Fight the master. Take the antidote. Give some to us and we'll either leave you in peace or serve you. Bring the antidote back here. Give it to your girl. Live long, happy, prosperous lives together."

"M-my g-girl?"

The look on Yuwen Yue's face was indescribable and unreadable. How she wanted the woman's title for her to be true, but she knew that it wasn't. Just because he'd tried to protect her didn't mean that he'd forgiven her for her past, much less that he was in love with her. Xing'er fought to stay conscious, knowing that these might be her last few minutes alive. She wanted to spend them looking at her beloved, especially when the welcome pounding of boots and shouting of masculine voices reached her ears.

Yue Qi raced through the open door with a shout, his eyes taking in the scene as he slashed his sword towards the woman's neck.

"Stop!" Yuwen Yue ordered, swaying on his feet as his legs wobbled weakly. "T-tie her up. Take her away. L-lock..."

Several Yue guards leaped into action, binding the woman tightly before taking her away with puzzled looks on their faces. They obeyed their master without question, however, which was something Xing'er had to admit she'd never done.

 _Not that he ever expected me to…_

Xing'er came to as a gentle pair of hands lifted her up and removed her chains, realizing that she must've blacked out again. She looked up into Yue Qi's concerned face, her eyes unable to focus on it for long as she continued to fight to remain conscious. He lifted and placed her carefully on a soft surface, part of which moved beneath her. Another pair of hands— _his hands,_ she realized through her haze—settled under her shoulder blades, and the face of her beloved swam into view before her.

"X'er," he rasped down at her, his face more open than she'd ever seen it.

"Y-Yuwen Y-"

"No, X'er," he whispered fiercely. "You have to st-stay with me. You c-can't..."

Xing'er grunted in question.

"You m-made so many...mistakes in that fight, Xing'er, that you ob-obviously still have m-much to learn from me. You were slow and...and...slow and stupid."

He slumped over, those two sentences clearly wearing him out. Xing'er tried to scowl at him, but she figured that she hadn't succeeded judging by the soft look on his face. Nobody ever looked at her like that when she frowned at them.

 _Nobody's ever looked at me like that before, period,_ she thought wistfully. _Nobody but him._

A sharp prick on her chest jerked her awake again. She murmured in complaint and looked up to see Yuwen Yue holding a dart in his hand and sniffing it. His bladed brows met in puzzlement as he frowned. He pulled another dart and raised it to his nose in shaking hands, his face filling with recognition and relief this time.

"Knockout drugs," he said. "I don't know how you're still..."

Xing'er didn't know how she was still awake, either, so she said nothing, content to gaze up at her beloved with the few moments she had left. He pulled the rest of the darts from her one by one, handing them to a worried-looking Yue Qi. Yuwen Yue looked down at her with that intense look on his face she'd always loved, his illness unable to reduce its power. She allowed herself to float in his regard, not caring a bit that her eyes were likely giving too much away. After all, she knew she might never wake up again, so she figured she may as well show Yuwen Yue what was in her heart.

The lamps had all been lit again inside and outside Yuwen Yue's rooms, so she had no problem seeing his face clearly. Whatever he'd seen in her own eyes, he raised a hand to Xing'er's face and ran a finger along her jawline with a feather's touch. With his thumb, he traced an eyebrow, a cheek, her lips...Xing'er was spellbound, wondering if she'd already died and if this was some strange underworld. Yuwen Yue had only acted like this in her daydreams, and even then…

"I'm going to save you, X'er," he whispered fiercely. "Trust me."

"I trust you, Yuwen Yue," she said softly. "I showed you that earlier today… in your grandfather's rooms..."

"X'er," he rasped raggedly, anguish filling his face.

The depths called to her, so she did the only thing she could: She used the last of her strength to raise her hand to her face and rest it on top of the one that Yuwen Yue had placed there, covering his with her own and lowering the walls in her eyes as much as she could. Her beloved's face was the last thing she saw as the world went black.

* * *

AN: Whew. Okay. I hope I've suitably introduced you to this Xing'er, who's a bit different from the others we've encountered. I don't know if I'll ever have her refer to herself as Chu Qiao; she's fully become Xing'er in her mind and wants nothing to do with any of those jumbled memories from the past.

Speaking of the past, some of the elements of my other stories (and canon, of course) will turn up from time to time; this is for two reasons. First, I always try to figure out what my characters would say and do, and a change of circumstances doesn't necessarily mean a change of words/actions. Second, when I'm writing an AU, I like to take the approach that other alternate universes are going on at the same time, so I might have our current XingYue couple do similar things as those from my other stories/canon from time to time.

Posting timeline: LOL. I'm not even going to pretend that this story is even close to mapped out. It's still writing itself in my head and I have no idea how exactly all of these storylines are going to mesh together. I guess I'll take a crack at a 4-week projection anyway. Next week: Breaking, entering, rescuing. Two weeks: XingYue recovery. Three weeks: YWY teaches XE how to play his flute; shenanigans ensue. Four weeks: Xing'er decides to take care of a little problem; more shenanigans ensue.

Musical recommendation: "In the Middle of the Night" by Within Temptation. (I've already used "Fighting for You" by Us the Duo in my previous story, but that's one I often listen to when I'm trying to get in the right mood to write PA fic.)

Translation/Fanfic updates: I'm not even going to pretend to remember what had been updated when I last posted and this is already a bit late, so I'll just remind y'all to keep reading Angel Chua's "Secret Princess" and leave it at that.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Now that we've seen things from XingYue's POVs, we're going to broaden our world a bit this week. I hope y'all enjoy becoming reacquainted with some old friends—and some references to a couple of old scenes from "Lunar Convergence" which make an appearance in our favorite spymaster's mind. I know this should've gone up last week, but I blame the Olympics (and laziness). Maybe I'll be more punctual next week. Maybe I won't. We'll see.

* * *

He slipped silently through the darkened passageway, stopping only to slit the throat of another darkly-clad figure with ease. While his black mask was frozen in a permanently-grotesque, toothy grin, his own face made no change in expression. This was just business, after all, and no measure was too strong to take when a woman's life was on the line.

The man moved quickly and soundlessly, disposing of any others he met using the same method he'd used on the previous guards. He lamented the presence of the coffin box on his back not only because it impeded his movements but because he knew that it was highly unfashionable. Eventually the dim corridor gave way to a slightly-less-dark room that would still never be accused of brightness or cheerfulness.

 _Not that I would expect my darling sister to keep a prisoner in any better conditions,_ Xiao Ce thought, his eyes narrowing in speculation as he took in the sight that met his eyes.

The young woman he'd come to rescue was slumped over unceremoniously in an iron cage, her rope bindings giving mute testimony to the way that even his sister considered her a threat. Xiao Ce would be the first to admit that he could be arrogant and rash, but he was not so foolish that he would ignore such a wordless warning. When the figure started coming to in response to his footsteps, he didn't hesitate to shoot her with enough darts to knock her out for hours.

The crown prince got to work picking the lock, knowing that he could've simply waltzed in the front door of this facility but not wanting his sister to know the identity of this admittedly-lovely young woman's rescuer. No, Xiao Ce had far better reasons for taking this woman than simply stealing her away to irritate dearest Xiao Yu. If he played his hand right, he knew that he could be rid of at least one dangerous enemy—if not two-in a few days' time.

As the lock clicked in a satisfying manner, Xiao Ce opened the door and hefted the young woman in his arms. He couldn't help but appreciate her beauty; even in her current disheveled state, she was still a sight to behold.

 _I'm sure she'll be so appreciative of my rescuing her that she'll jump right into my arms,_ he mused sarcastically as he lumbered towards the front door with his prize in his arms.

A clatter arose outside the doors that he'd almost reached, and he didn't try to stop the grin that wanted to form behind that ridiculously ugly Afterlife Camp mask. As he opened the door with his back and shoved his way outside, the mental vision of his sister's furious face gave him the strength to carry the young woman as if she weighed nothing. Of course, the sight of the black carriage that had pulled right up to the front door made him move quickly as well since he knew that the reinforcements for all of the guards who had met such unfortunate ends should be coming at any moment.

 _In fact, I'm counting on it,_ he thought as he handed the young lady off to another masked man who made sure that his outfit was seen by the few people who were present.

As if on cue, masculine shouts rang out as the next shift of guards spotted the dark vehicle that would soon be spiriting away their prized prisoner. Xiao Ce knew these guys were dead men walking since his sister allowed no failure to go unpunished. Of course, he felt that anyone dumb enough to work for his sister would likely have met a bad end anyway, so he was just hastening the process of dying along a bit.

The driver was wearing Afterlife Camp gear as well, and shouts of fear and anger rang out from the sprinting guards as his getup was recognized. Xiao Ce's eyes sparkled with glee as he jumped in the already-moving carriage and left the now-jobless guards and the secret prison behind. Hopefully in a few days, he'd have the good fortune of hearing that his sister had walked into the trap he'd laid for her and that...well…

 _Whether my sister takes out the Afterlife Camp or they take her out, Miss Chong, you and I are going to have a great time laughing over the results._

* * *

Xiao Yu crumpled the letter in her fist, her face a mask of anger and wounded pride as she mentally raged against the Afterlife Camp. How dare they come into _her_ country, break into _her_ prison, and steal _her_ prisoner. An image of her stupid brother's sarcastic smirk intruded her thoughts as she imagined just how he would look when he heard about how a mutual enemy had taken _her_ captive right out from under her nose.

"What's happened, Princess?" Tao Ye asked after the silence grew awkwardly long.

"The Afterlife Camp broke into the secret prison and took Xia Chong," she said, her jawline becoming even sharper in her rage.

Her fellow spy's eyes widened and then filled with anger themselves.

"What are we going to do?" Tao Ye asked. "We can't let them get away with doing something like that, but we can't...I mean...can we?"

"We can't let them get away with such a flagrant taunt," Xiao Yu agreed. "Although the Afterlife Camp is strong, they're not as smart as we are."

"That's true," Tao Ye said, pouring fresh tea for the princess and then herself. "So what's the plan?"

Xiao Yu sipped her tea, lamenting that its quality was nowhere near as good as that which could be had back at her palace in Liang. She mulled the problem over for several moments before making a decision, gratified that, even if Tao Ye wasn't smart enough to come up with a solution on her own, she at least had the sense to stay quiet while Xiao Yu herself thought things through.

"I'll send Yin Xin out with our men to watch the roads," she said. "Maybe we'll get lucky and will be able to recover Xia Chong that way."

"And the Afterlife Camp?"

"Oh, don't worry," Xiao Yu said, grinning unpleasantly. "We'll still make them pay for this brazen insult. Given the importance of the information that Xia Chong has yet to tell me, though, I'd rather get revenge on them with her safely hidden away again instead of having to worry about keeping her alive in the fight."

"So why don't we just attack tonight and be done with it?" Tao Ye asked.

Xiao Yu smiled patiently at her assistant; after all, that wasn't such a bad question.

"First of all, we don't know whether Xia Chong has already been taken to their lair or not," she said, holding up a finger. "Secondly, we don't know enough about this situation to just blindly blunder into a potential trap. Thirdly, I want to know more about their attack on Qing Shan Yuan before we attack them ourselves."

"Our spies should be reporting in soon," Tao Ye said. "Maybe they'll have more to tell us than that there was an attack, some people died, and some people are taking medicine."

"Three people are taking very expensive medicine," Xiao Yu reminded her associate. "Which leads me to believe-"

"-that this would be our best chance to attack the Afterlife Camp when we know for sure that they have lowered numbers—not to mention that Yuwen Yue is likely flat on his back as well. I know."

Xiao Yu gave her associate a small smile and outlined several versions of a plan she'd been crafting for weeks. She could tell from Tao Ye's expression that the spy realized that fact and was beginning to put the pieces together.

"This isn't just about Xia Chong, is it?"

"Of course it's not," Xiao Yu said. "We've lost our fair share of people to the Afterlife Camp, after all, so eliminating them would get rid of an enemy—and competition. They also have...certain things in their lair that I'm going to take from them tomorrow night."

Tao Ye looked at her expectantly.

"Xing'er," she said succinctly, obviously surprising the other woman. "I want to know who she is. I know who Yin Xin thought she was, and I know he said that he was mistaken, but I want to know how a slave girl is able to do the things she does."

"And if any place is going to have a record of someone like Xing'er, it would be the Afterlife Camp."

Xiao Yu nodded and smiled maliciously as she contemplated taking out an irritating enemy, recovering a valuable prisoner that had been stolen from her, and stealing the Afterlife Camp's information repository. She then envisioned herself taking down Yuwen Yue and ridding Liang of the threat of the Eyes of God for good.

 _The only thing that would make tomorrow any better would be to receive a letter from my pen friend,_ she mused as Tao Ye poured her a fresh cup of tea. _I can't think of a better way to end a long, hard, but victorious day than by reading a letter from Brother Yue._

* * *

Yuwen Yue poured out his heart to his pen friend in cryptic verse as his pen shook in his hand, not so much from emotion as from fatigue. The figurative language flowed from his mind and onto the paper as he did his best to convey his troubles and feelings to his boyhood friend without giving his identity away. Even this relatively small amount of exertion was taxing him to his limits, but he felt that the release he gained from writing to his friend was worth the weakness he was currently experiencing.

His eyes were once again drawn to the small, huddled form curled up in his bed. Xing'er had been there since the attack two days before; he hadn't been willing to let her out of his sight and had insisted on giving her the medicine himself. All of yesterday had consisted of nothing but treatment and sleep for both of them. As worried as he'd been about Xing'er's well-being, he hadn't been able to deny the feelings that sleeping next to Xing'er had aroused in him.

 _Or the feelings that watching her sleep in my bed arouse in me..._

He had, of course, chosen to sit facing his bed by chance even though he normally sat facing the door; the fact that Xing'er was peacefully resting in his bed had had nothing to do with the decision. As Yuwen Yue penned a few more lines, he was forced to acknowledge that he was lying to himself yet again.

 _Just like you lied to yourself about Xing'er's identity after your meeting with Concubine Wei,_ part of his mind taunted him.

Yuwen Yue's pen hovered forgotten over the paper as he acknowledged the mental hit. Xing'er shifted in his bed again, pulling the covers up tighter under her chin and sighing softly in contentment. She looked so small, so vulnerable, so beautiful...Nothing at all like the daughter of his greatest enemy and the biggest threat to the Eyes of God.

 _That's because she's neither of those things,_ his more emotional side told him.

 _Of course she is, oh, idiotic spymaster,_ his snide side replied. _That doesn't, of course, automatically make her untrustworthy._

"She's not Chu Qiao," he muttered, glad that nobody was in his room to hear him talking to himself.

Although he was ashamed of having spoken aloud, his heart felt the rightness of what he'd said. As he looked at the woman he loved sleeping so soundly beneath his covers, his heart told him in no uncertain terms that her truest self was Xing'er and that she was utterly trustworthy.

 _Trust,_ he thought, shaking his head as he hastily finished off his letter. _How can I know who to trust? Can I trust my beloved to overcome her past self when she regains her memories? Can I trust that Afterlife Camp assassin to keep her part of our bargain without betraying me? Can I trust anyone but my pen friend?_

While part of him still had misgivings about Xing'er's past, his mind was at least in accord about her general trustworthiness. His emotional side, naturally, wanted to trust her because of his love for her, but even his rational side had to admit that Xing'er had demonstrated an immense amount of faith in him by telling him the truth.

 _Besides, if she'd wanted to kill me, she could've done so numerous times already. She had no reason to tell me the truth about her parentage and history; she gained nothing yet risked everything by revealing the facts to me. Why would she take such a chance on me if she didn't…_

Noting that the ink was dry, Yuwen Yue folded his letter and then rolled it up so that it would fit in the container that he would send off straight away. He wondered what Brother Yu would tell him to do, and his mind was instantly filled with sympathetic warnings about being unable to trust anyone and resigned admissions of knowing how being unable to live the life you wanted to live felt. His grandfather's approving face also flashed through his mind; he knew Yuwen Zhuo would agree with those sentiments.

 _That's not the kind of life I want to live,_ he realized with sudden clarity.

 _What other kind of life is there, Yue'er? h_ e could almost hear his grandfather asking.

Yuwen Yue's eyes were drawn irresistibly back to the bed—and, of course, to the figure of his beloved within it. An image came to him of a slightly-older Xing'er sitting up in the bed and feeding his child—their child—with devoted focus. He could see her attention shift from the baby to him, her robe slipping off of her back to pool uselessly on the bed as her eyes met his with that mischievously-innocent look that he'd never been able to resist.

The image faded away, but his determination to make that vision a reality remained with him. In that moment, he accepted that Xing'er had already made her way too far into his heart for him to turn his back on her over a few what-ifs. While he knew that his beloved could regain her memory and become Chu Qiao once again, his intuition told him that Xing'er would be able to hold onto who she truly was when the time came.

" _I'm not Chu Qiao!"_ he could see and hear her yelling.

Another image came to him, this one of him sitting behind Xing'er on the bed as she leaned back against him and fed their son. All three of them had looks of such supreme contentment on their faces that he was glad that nobody else was in the room to see his own look of longing form.

 _No, you're not Chu Qiao,_ he acknowledged as he stood up from the table and gave into his body's demands for rest—and contact with his beloved. His parrot awoke with a small squawk as he heard the noise, ducking his head sheepishly as he realized that he'd fallen asleep on the job. The bird had been keeping watch over Xing'er whenever Yuwen Yue was otherwise occupied—or when they were both asleep in his bed, of course.

As he drew closer to his bed, he realized just how pale and drawn Xing'er's face had become in the last few minutes. She gave a small shiver, and any thoughts of sending his pen friend's letter right away left his mind as he pulled back the covers and crawled beneath them. He covered himself with the blankets and rested both his head and his right arm against the pillow, anticipating what he knew would come next with more enthusiasm than he knew was prudent.

After a few minutes had passed, he felt Xing'er start to shift towards him, drawn to him in sleep as she always had been. As she finally snuggled up to his side and rested her head against his chest, he allowed his arm to curl around her in utter satisfaction. The furrows in her brow smoothed out; the shivering stopped; her face reflected quiet peace once again.

He caught his Cangwu bird looking at him, so he gave him a stern stare. The parrot's shoulders jerked to attention and his body faced forward, giving an uncanny impression of Xing'er's guarding position of a few days ago. Yuwen Yue's lips twitched in the smallest of smiles as he closed his eyes, ducked his head, and rested it against his beloved's, breathing deeply.

 _My Xing'er,_ he thought drowsily as sleep pulled at him. _I'm going to marry you, Xing'er. We're going to rebuild the Eyes of God and the Yuwen legacy together. You're going to regain your memories at some point, but they'll be unable to turn you back into Chu Qiao because you're mine. I promise I'll marry you somehow; I won't let Yuwen Xi, Yuwen Huai, or anyone else stop me. I'm going to marry you, Xing'er, but first I'm going to…_

The scent of the woman he loved surrounded him as he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Tao Ye listened as Yin Xin reported their lack of success in locating Xia Chong or those who had taken her. He'd assured the princess that there had been no sign of any Afterlife Camp assassins or black carriages on the roads he and their people had been staking out. Xiao Yu confirmed that they were going to go through with the plan she'd crafted yesterday and would be raiding the Afterlife Camp this night.

"Do you want us to keep guarding the roads, Princess?" he asked.

"No," Xiao Yu said. "Tao Ye and I have already...harvested those assassins that have been keeping tabs on us for all these months. I think they're ready to serve their purpose, don't you?"

"Indeed, Princess," Yin Xin said, bowing slightly. "We'll all dress as you and Miss Ye have."

"Try to match the men with the outfit sizes as closely as possible," Xiao Yu instructed. "After all, we don't want to draw any more attention than necessary when we enter their lair tonight."

"I take it you've already found the entry seal, Princess," Yin Xin said. "Surely we'll have no trouble getting into their lair with that in hand."

Xiao Yu nodded at Yin Xin, and the man left to fulfill his mission. Tao Ye assumed that the princess would have something more productive to do than to stand around waiting for something to happen, so she was surprised when Xiao Yu did just that.

"How can I serve you, Princess?" Tao Ye finally asked. "What should I do to prepare for tonight?"

Suddenly a pigeon flew into view, and Tao Ye was struck at how youthful the princess's face looked when she saw the bird. It landed in its proper place, and Xiao Yu wasted no time in divesting it of its message. She took out the roll of paper and made as if to open it before changing her mind. Instead, she tucked the paper into a pocket in her black robes and patted the space with determination.

"We need to look over that map of the Afterlife Camp that we managed to steal from that old shopkeeper," Xiao Yu finally said, turning back towards the inn in which they were staying. "Be sure to pay special attention to where their records are hidden. As much as I want Xia Chong, I want that repository almost as much."

"Of course, Princess," Tao Ye said, clasping her hands and bowing.

The Afterlife Camp robes she was wearing were disconcerting in their unfamiliarity; she could only imagine how strange wearing the rest of their gear would be. As little as she was looking forward to putting on that creepy, irritating mask, she knew that their victory tonight would make everything worthwhile.

* * *

Meng Feng didn't even have to show her token of entry to the guards outside of the initial rocky entrance to the Afterlife Camp's lair before they were scrambling to let her and her party go through. Not that she was surprised; after all, the two recognizable swords she carried in her hands were better than any sort of seal. Of course, her personal appearance likely also had something to do with the swiftness of their admission; the effects of the poison were becoming obvious, and the guards could see her clear distress.

Not that Yuwen Yue looked much better. He was slightly behind her to her right, only a step or so away from the sword that all in their world associated with him. Meng Feng knew that he would draw that sword when the time came; she hoped that she'd be able to hold up her part of the bargain. The spymaster had recovered significantly from the last time she'd seen him, but she could tell that he was still quite weak underneath his Afterlife Camp gear.

 _Not that that's a bad thing,_ Meng Feng thought as they wended their way through the narrow stone passage that led to the main entrance of their lair. _After all, we're supposed to need to take the antidote to our poison, so a lack of paleness and sweat might be seen as suspicious._

She felt the weight of Yuwen Yue's sword in her right hand and the responsibility it entailed, but she also knew how important the sword in her left hand was—not just to the man beside her, but to the woman he loved. While rumors of their relationship had reached the Afterlife Camp as they likely had many other places throughout the land, Meng Feng had had a hard time believing that a wealthy, powerful man like Yuwen Yue would be willing to stoop to the level of having a serious relationship with someone like Xing'er.

Keeping up appearances, she nodded once at Yuwen Yue, who reached a hand up and pulled the vine that was connected to the bell that would signal the men inside to open the heavy metal doors of the lair. After all, the returning leader of the group that had successfully killed both Yuwen Yue and his pet spy shouldn't have to shift her grip on her trophy swords in order to do something as mundane as ring a little bell.

Meng Feng still had to temporarily grip both swords in one hand anyway, though, as the entrance required a seal to open. The guard took the token from her with enthusiasm and stuck it into the depression in the wall, triggering the mechanism that opened the doors. While she only conveyed the mild distress they'd expect to see in someone in need of a dose of antidote, her insides were a roiling mess of anxiety. She was staking her entire future on a man whom she knew hadn't yet recovered from his illness—and who might turn on her once he had what he wanted, bargain or no.

Strolling confidently into the dimness of their lair, she led Yuwen Yue and the six guards through the gritty labyrinth that she'd called home for much of her life. They blended in with their black Afterlife Camp outfits that they'd stripped from the dead; as she'd wanted and expected, nobody paid them much notice since all of their eyes were on the gleaming swords in her hands.

Her eyes sought and found a small group of men who were huddled in their customary nighttime corner, enjoying one another's company while avoiding the rest of their comrades. They looked at her intently, and she gave them the barest of nods, tipping Yuwen Yue's large sword slightly towards its owner. Their eyes gave nothing away, but she could see the subtle shifts in their bodies that told her that her message had been received. It was almost time, and they would soon get into position.

Meng Feng's heart warmed at the obvious trust these men placed in her, and she was determined to free them from this nightmarish life they'd all been living. On the outside, they all pretended to be dutiful, fanatical Afterlife Camp assassins, but inside...inside, they were all dying, and they were willing to risk everything to be free.

They were also desperate because another Nirvana was coming up soon, and Meng Feng knew that she was likely the only one who was animal enough to survive it. Her friends—brothers, really—would all likely be killed by the brutal, vicious men around them. Of course, they would all probably be killed tonight, too-especially if Yuwen Yue proved to be too weak to defeat the master. Plan or no plan, sick lover or no sick lover, she knew from experience that the body could only do so much sometimes.

At long last, she rounded the final rocky bend of these serpentine catacombs and led the way into the room where the master awaited them, seated in his rolling chair at his zither. His eyes widened as he saw the matching swords she carried in her hands, but he still managed to keep his composure. A smirk crossed his face at her obvious discomfort as and she got down on her knees, prostrating herself before him for what she vowed would be the last time one way or another.

Yuwen Yue did the same, his piercing eyes cast downward but full of a fire that she was glad the master couldn't see. Doubts assailed her again, but the expression he'd made when she'd attacked Xing'er's defenseless form floated through her mind. That look had been the ultimate catalyst for her desperate decision to trust him not only with her own life but with the lives of her closest friends as well.

 _Well, that and the look that Xing'er gave him when he wasn't looking at her,_ she admitted to herself as she raised her eyes in entreaty to her master. _If Xing'er's anything like what we've been told, a man like_ _Yuwen Yue_ _would have to prove his worth to her in many different ways in order to receive a look like that—especially on a potential death bed._

The master continued to pluck his zither dispassionately, seeming to ignore their presence. Meng Feng could feel herself growing weaker by the minute, and she knew that Yuwen Yue was likely faring no better in this cold, damp place. In spite of the odds arrayed against them, she couldn't help but hope and believe that the man bowing beside her would save them all.

* * *

Yuwen Yue had known plenty of men like the master of the Afterlife Camp over the course of his life. He knew that the best way to handle them was often to allow them to think they had the upper hand—at least up to the moment when you neatly and ruthlessly ripped control away from them and worked affairs out to your own satisfaction. While he couldn't boast that he was at his strongest, he knew himself capable of doing whatever was necessary to save the life of the woman he loved.

As he bowed before his supposed master, he took some time to study the woman beside him. Outside of his desperation to cure Xing'er, he couldn't put his finger on what, exactly, had made him feel like he could trust this woman. After all, she was an Afterlife Camp assassin who was good enough at her job to be designated as the one to come after him on her own to kill him. Why should he believe that this wasn't all some elaborate trap she'd set up?

The spymaster mentally shrugged as he acknowledged that he was, as he so often did, simply following his instincts—which told him that this woman was trustworthy and that she sincerely wanted out of her current lifestyle. He was also enough of a man to admit that she was a striking woman; in fact, were he not already passionately in love with Xing'er…

Bringing his mind back around to more productive subjects, he mentally ran through their plan, which was quite simple. Although he wasn't afraid to concoct a complex plan that could take a long time to come together, he'd learned from experience that the best short-term schemes often had the fewest moving parts. He and his men would play straightforward roles in this plan; the bulk of its success rested on the shoulders of the beautiful young woman beside him.

Silence filled the room with sudden abruptness as the petty man before him at last stilled the strings of his zither. Meng Feng once again begged the man to give them the antidote to the poison that was supposedly weakening all of their bodies; he once again stalled for time and unnecessarily dragged out the process. The coffin box Yuwen Yue wore on his back pressed him into the stone floor, and he once again cursed the absurdity of the uniform's design as he felt himself continue to weaken.

Finally the man reached into his robes and pulled out a simple wooden box, which he opened and set upon the table. Meng Feng eyed the contents of the box with hungry desperation, so he did the same, not having to fake his emotions as he envisioned popping one of those round, brown pills into the mouth of his beloved. He added his plea to Meng Feng's, doing his best to alter his voice just in case this man knew him from somewhere.

He tormented them for a few more moments before relenting, even going so far as to laud them for the success of their mission. After a few more nicely-worded phrases that came off more like threats than praises, the master at last handed out the pills to everyone. Meng Feng swallowed hers with gusto, and Yuwen Yue was filled with mixed feelings as he realized that if the woman were going to betray him, now would be the most sensible time for her to do so.

The rest of them only pretended to swallow their pills, doing their best to mimic Meng Feng's desperate relief as they secreted the pills in their robes. Yuwen Yue tucked his pill—Xing'er's pill—in a pocket he'd reinforced with that purpose in mind. Nothing must be allowed to happen to the pill—especially not during the fight that was to come.

Footsteps sounded outside the cavern, and Yuwen Yue stood up from his crouch, preparing to attack the master with Meng Feng and, perhaps, to catch him unawares. He hoped that the people heading towards this cavern were the allies Meng Feng had promised him; if they weren't, he and his men would simply do their best to fight their way out and run home. After all, each one had a pill, so any one of them could save Xing'er if need be.

Meng Feng had angled Po Yue Jian towards him slightly in anticipation, and his hand reached out to grab it as a group of people roughly the same size as his own strode confidently through the door, masks obscuring their faces. He saw Meng Feng's eyes widen in alarm and concluded that these were not her allies. His suspicions were confirmed when the others drew their swords, attacking his own people without delay.

Letting go of their original plan with a mental sigh, Yuwen Yue took his sword from Meng Feng's hand and drew it from his scabbard before engaging the man in front of him. Chaos blossomed all around him as yet another group of black-clad figures joined the fray, clearly trying to make their way to Meng Feng. He gestured at this group, and his men nodded back in understanding.

All of the Afterlife Camp had apparently noticed the fight going on in the master's meeting chamber and were now converging on the small entrance to the room. This, of course, suited Yuwen Yue perfectly since they could easily pick the assassins off one by one when they tried to attack. He was also forced to acknowledge that they could end up pinned down, but he figured that he'd address that problem once they'd solved the more immediate issue of not getting killed in this clash.

He gutted the man he'd been fighting and briefly turned his attention to Meng Feng, who was clearly in a battle for her life with a skilled warrior. As he'd known she would, the mysterious woman held her own, wielding both Can Hong Jian and her own Afterlife Camp sword with the same feline grace she'd displayed in her fight against his beloved. One of his own men went down, so Yuwen Yue stepped neatly into the gap the man had left and engaged the tall, slim figure himself.

There was something familiar about the man, but Yuwen Yue couldn't place him thanks to the presence of the garish mask covering the stranger's features. His keen memory told him that he'd either fought or seen this man fight before, however, so he trusted his instincts to guide him in the battle, blocking and parrying all of the man's efforts to slice him into ribbons.

Meng Feng suddenly went down as the warrior she was fighting got the better of her, so Yuwen Yue kicked the man he was currently battling through the doorway and vaulted over the scrum, reaching her just in time. He thrust Po Yue Jian between the two warriors, blocking the descent of the warrior's blade and deflecting it. Yuwen Yue neatly continued the fight while Meng Feng recovered her wits, eventually telling her to go help her people once she'd done so.

He turned his full attention to his opponent and quickly recognized the eyes glaring back at him. The identity of the man he'd been fighting clicked into place, and the clash took on an even greater air of desperation. Without warning, his opponent whipped a familiar sword from inside of her robes and began battling him with both blades. He knew himself to be in no condition to do so at the moment, so he did the best he could with Po Yue Jian and its scabbard.

"What's your interest in this place?" he asked the head Liang spy, genuinely curious as to what she'd say.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" she spat back as she tried to bend her sword inside his guard again.

"Of course I would," he replied blandly as his blade narrowly missed her throat and knocked off her mask instead. "That's why I asked you."

She glared at him as they continued to fight, not deigning to answer his question. Yuwen Yue could feel himself tiring, but he battled on, knowing that Xing'er's survival rested—as it so often did—in his weakening hands. He fought almost by rote, taking more care over dodging the corpses littering the floor than the edges of the Liang spy's blades.

As their fight shifted over towards the table behind which the leader of the Afterlife Camp had sat, both of them seemed to realize at the same time that the man had somehow disappeared in the melee. The Liang spy seemed to be much more distressed by this development than he was; after all, the pill was still tucked away safely in his robes, and he knew that the odds of convincing the man to tell him the location of the secret repository had been slim. Considering the wrathful expression on the face of the woman he was fighting, however, he figured that the man had factored into her plans quite prominently.

"Were you hoping to have a nice little talk with our musical friend?" Yuwen Yue asked.

"I'm sure both of us could've benefited from such a discussion," she retorted, her blade bending around his own.

"I already have everything I want," Yuwen Yue said, his face giving nothing away.

"And what is that?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" he asked, giving her the same dryly-mocking look that always made Xing'er glower at him in an immensely attractive fashion.

The Liang spy's expression was nowhere near as captivating as his beloved's, but it was still quite satisfying. As enjoyable as baiting the woman was, the spymaster could feel his strength flagging. Eventually the woman slashed her sword across his chest, missing his flesh but, to his horror, slicing across the pockets that held not only Xing'er's pill but also her wooden bead, which he'd decided to bring along in a moment of foolish sentimentality.

Yuwen Yue sliced at the woman's own robes, managing to buy himself a few moments to clasp the pill to himself with his arm. Time seemed to slow as the wooden bead dropped from his pocket and hit the cave's floor, skittering off unpredictably as was its wont. He had no time to pursue it, however, as he barely had a chance to secure the pill in another area of his robes before she was charging him.

The female spy had to come to a halt herself, though, as a rolled-up piece of paper that had been dislodged due to the fury of her attack fell from the front of her own robes. She seemed as frantic to recover it as Yuwen Yue had acted towards the pill, so he dove for it as well, somehow managing to capture it before she did. Screeching in rage, the woman doubled her efforts to kill him, but seemed to grow more and more frustrated the longer the fight raged on without her accomplishing her goal.

His eyes caught sight of the wooden bead, which had somehow ended up nestled in the hand of a dead Afterlife Camp assassin. Yuwen Yue tried to retrieve it several times, but the Liang spy always managed to block his way. He lunged for the bead yet again, but this time, the spy sliced his outstretched arm and snatched the bead herself as he instinctively retracted his wounded limb. A victorious smile lit up her face, and she pulled a small jar from her robes.

Yuwen Yue's eyes widened, and he had just enough time to warn his people to cover their faces before the Liang spy threw the jar on the ground and ran for the door. As had happened in the shop months before, thick, billowing clouds of smoke quickly filled the small room and provided a convenient means of escape for his enemies.

The Liang spy's diversion forced the fighting to stop, giving Yuwen Yue and his people the opportunity to prevent further bloodshed from occurring. His people and Meng Feng's allies got themselves into proper position and were able to get the attention of the other Afterlife Camp assassins once the smoke had cleared enough for them all to see.

"Stop!" Meng Feng shouted as some of them tried to resume the fight. "Our master has run away, meaning that Yuwen Yue is now in charge. He has agreed to take us over and to free us from the poison that binds us to this life of killing. Nobody else has to die tonight."

The lovely young warrior looked at him meaningfully, so he removed his mask, slowly stepped through the door into the larger cavern beyond, and addressed the black-clad crowd.

"Meng Feng's telling the truth," he said. "I have a pill in my possession, so I know that I'll be able to figure out its ingredients and make enough antidotes for everyone to take. Once you've done so, you're free to go—but only if you understand that I'll kill you myself if I find out that you've been terrorizing the innocent."

A buzz of conversation greeted his words, so he gave them a few moments to talk among themselves before continuing.

"I know that this is the only life that many of you have ever known, so I'll take you into my service if that is what you wish. As with those who choose to leave, however, if I ever catch you harming the innocent, I'll kill you myself."

Some darker mutters arose with this proclamation, but he got no sense that the assassins were going to attack them in the near future, so he decided to let them figure out their own lives while he got busy figuring out the antidote. Not that he anticipated a long and drawn-out process; after all, poisons were a Yuwen family specialty.

Yuwen Yue found himself going through the motions, barely paying attention to what he was doing in his fatigue. Before he knew it, he'd somehow managed to cobble together an antidote that matched the aroma of the pill he'd cut in half and sniffed several times. He had, of course, taken a pill from one of his men; Xing'er's pill was still nestled safely inside of his robes. With his beloved, he was taking no chances.

Blinking again, he found himself standing in front of the group of Afterlife Camp assassins and offering them the antidote pills. Nobody moved at first, but Meng Feng's handful of allies came forward and selected a pill each, swallowing them together in a wordless pact. When nothing untoward happened to them, the others came forward, accepted their pills, and, in some cases, thanked him with varying levels of appreciation.

His fatigue was weighing him down even more than Xing'er's pill seemed to be, but he knew he still had one more bit of business to take care of tonight. Yuwen Yue looked at Meng Feng, and the woman nodded once. He instructed an immensely-reluctant Yue Qi to stay behind and keep the peace before setting off with Meng Feng and a few of her people.

While getting the antidote to Xing'er's poison had been the top priority of their mission, the other thing he wanted to retrieve from here was almost as important. Losing Xing'er's bead—especially to the head Liang spy—irked him, but getting the other item for which he'd come would salve that wound. Besides, this prize was essential to Xing'er's well-being, too—especially if it contained what he thought it did.

* * *

Xiao Yu was loathe to admit to her two associates that she was hopelessly lost, but her reluctance to confess the truth didn't negate it in any way. They had bolted out of the head assassin's chamber, running heedlessly from the melee like amateurs. The decision to flee had been a difficult one that had produced no end of teeth-gnashing for her, but she'd been smart enough to realize that nothing would have been gained by continuing a pointless battle.

The leader was gone. Xia Chong was nowhere to be found. Her people were all dead except for Tao Ye and Yin Xin. And, of course, Yuwen Yue had already been in the chamber when she'd walked into it, ruining her plan before it had even come to fruition. How did that man always seem to show up at the worst possible time? How did he keep getting the better of her even when she seemed to get the better of him initially?

 _What was he doing here? s_ he asked herself again as she absentmindedly turned the wooden bead over in her hand. _He told me he already had what he wanted, but I never saw him take anything. Of course, when he lost this bead, the look in his eyes was-_

"Looking for me, I presume?" a cultured voice said from the shadows.

Xiao Yu drew her sword and faced the direction from which the voice had come; her companions did the same.

"And who would you be?" Xiao Yu said, lifting her chin in challenge.

A man slowly rolled into the light of a nearby torch, surveying them arrogantly from his wheeled chair. Xiao Yu stared back, unwilling to give the man the satisfaction of repeating the question. She rubbed the bead in her left hand in an attempt to calm her anxiety.

"Come, come, Your Highness," he said, obviously enjoying her shock at being so readily identified. "Let's not waste each other's time with lies and deceptions. I know who you are. You know who I am. All else is just dust and smoke."

"Okay," she agreed begrudgingly, "I'll be straightforward with you if you'll be straightforward with me. So where is she?"

The man looked up at her with what appeared to be genuine confusion.

"I'm sorry, Your Highness," he said smoothly, "but I don't have the pleasure of understanding your question."

"Where _is_ she?" she asked again in frustration.

"If you could tell me of whom you're speaking, perhaps I could be of more assistance."

"Okay, fine," she said, gritting her teeth. "Feel free to keep playing your games. Where. Is. Xia. Chong? Where. Are. You. Keeping. Her? I. Want. Her. Back."

The man's eyes had widened with each sharply-enunciated word until he was looking at her with wry amusement by the end of her questioning.

"I wondered where she'd gone," the man mused. "Believe me, Your Highness. Had I known where she was, I would've retrieved her myself—or, at least, ensured that she couldn't have been of use to anyone else."

"So you're going to keep pretending that you didn't send a handful of men to steal her from the secret prison of Liang in broad daylight?"

The head assassin's eyes filled with mockery as his lips twitched into a barely-there smile.

"I'm sorry that I can't assist you in this matter, Your Highness, but I honestly can't take credit for such an audacious venture. As you might imagine, however, I would very much like to know who's responsible."

Xiao Yu stared at the man hard, but he seemed to show no signs of concern or deceit in spite of being held at sword-point by several irritated spies. Inwardly she slumped, but outwardly she maintained her air of haughty professionalism.

"While I cannot assist you with the matter of one of our mutual friends, I might be able to be of use to you in regards to another," he said, smiling slyly.

"And who would that be?" she asked, not expecting anything honest to come from such a man's lips.

"The owner of that bead," he said, eyes gleaming.

"What do you know about it?" she asked suspiciously. "Yuwen Yue seemed distraught at losing it, but-"

"Yuwen Yue?" the man asked loudly, seeming to lose his composure for the first time during their meeting.

"Yes," she replied. "Yuwen Yue dropped it during our fight—but I suppose you'd already run away by that point."

The man's smile lost some of its sparkle as he looked at her in barely-concealed loathing. His eyes were quickly filled with a mercenary glint, however, as his brain seemed to be working something out. The malicious grin that formed on his face as he reached some sort of conclusion was one of the most unsettling expressions she'd ever seen on another human being.

"I know the man who made that bead better than I'd like to admit," he said, still smiling. "I know the woman he made it for. I also know who should've inherited it after said woman's passing—and maybe she did. And the fact that this ended up in Yuwen Yue's possession and that he seemed to value it..."

Xiao Yu waited impatiently as the man trailed off, seemingly lost in thought. The man's eyes suddenly sharpened again, fixing on her own with unnerving intensity.

"That's the other reason you're here, isn't it?" he asked softly. "Tell me, Your Highness. What do you know about the young woman Yuwen Yue keeps close to his side? Xing'er, I think he calls her."

"You think you know who she is," she stated, her eyes briefly meeting Yin Xin's as she remembered his theory about Xing'er.

"I might," he said evasively. "I might not. If I'm right, however, we'll have to wait for the perfect moment to use the truth about Xing'er's identity so that we can get the maximum advantage from it. As you well know, Your Highness, intelligence such as this is often like a fine wine: It gets more potent and valuable the longer you save it."

Xiao Yu smiled at the man for the first time that night.

"I think we can come to an understanding," she said, sheathing her sword.

 _And if he betrays me, I can just kill him,_ she mused, eyeing his useless legs in contempt.

While tonight hadn't ended the way she'd wanted it to, she was glad that she'd at least been able to come away with a small victory. She wouldn't get to curl up with her letter from her pen friend, but the information she was about to learn could be much more gratifying in the long run. The man wheeled his chair down the dusty corridor, speaking of a secret room, excellent wine, and the beginning of a partnership. Xiao Yu followed, eager to see where this latest unexpected path would take her and her companions.

* * *

AN: So our Liang spies are now on the board; next week, I think we'll get to meet a certain young prince who just might end up meeting a certain lovely assassin. I can't wait. Also next week: XingYue recovery. Two weeks: XingYue music lessons. Three weeks: Xing'er decides to deal with a little problem. Four weeks: Maybe Yuwen Yue has to talk to Emperor Eyeliner or something? I dunno.

Musical recommendation: "Out of the Darkness" by Erin Willett since that's definitely one of the themes of this chapter. Bonus rec: Voices in Your Head's cover of "Bad Moon Rising" can be dedicated to the poor Afterlife Campers, who have no idea what's about to hit 'em. (And the song sets a nice mood of menacing skull-duggery to match at least some of the chapter.)


	4. Chapter 4

AN: We get to meet Yuan Song this week; writing both him and Meng Feng has been interesting because they're both a bit different than they were when they met in canon. YS is still oblivious and childish, while Meng Feng isn't quite as jaded since she's only lived through one Nirvana instead of 2 and a portion—not to mention that she's had 3 fewer years as an AC assassin. Her section surprised me; I'd planned on her not being drawn to him so early, but perhaps that lack of jadedness is having more of an effect than I'd planned. We'll see how their relationship will develop; even I don't know how things will go, honestly. I know they're not everyone's cup of tea, so I, of course, knew that I had to whip up a nice batch of XingYue goodness this week. I hope you enjoy it.

* * *

Something brushed against Xing'er's senses, slowly drawing her up from unconsciousness like a fish on a line. She briefly fought against the pull before remembering recent events—or what she assumed to be recent events—in a sudden rush. Her eyes popped open, but she otherwise didn't move a muscle. Befuddled senses struggled against the mental torpor caused by the poison that she assumed to still be coursing through her veins.

 _I'm in Yuwen Yue's bed,_ she realized in a flash of insight. She instinctively drew in a deep breath of his scent and scowled at herself for her weakness.

Instead of focusing on how good lying in her beloved's typical resting place felt, Xing'er did her best to reassemble her memories from...whenever they occurred.

 _Not that I've proven myself to be any good at regaining and organizing memories,_ she thought darkly.

She remembered her conversation with Yuwen Yue, the planning sessions with the men and the bird, and the long, agonizing wait in this very room. Xing'er also clearly remembered the start of the attack and her role in drastically thinning the enemy with her plan. Most of her fight with the mysterious woman also seemed to be intact, although the memories did, of course, get blurry near the end. She remembered getting shot, remembered desperately trying to get up, remembered...standing in front of Yuwen Yue with her sword? Or was he standing in front of her with his sword? And why was the Afterlife Camp assassin's sword on the floor?

Closing her eyes again in an attempt to make sense of her jumbled memories, she fought hard to recall her last moments before she'd lost consciousness. She knew that something had happened to the assassin and that Yuwen Yue had survived—at least that conflict; his ultimate well-being was still unknown. She'd been on the ground...No...she'd been lying on something soft...someone soft?

An image coalesced in her mind, so vivid and compelling that she was almost certain that it was a fantasy or a dream. Yuwen Yue's face was hovering over her, looking down at her with a more open expression than she'd ever seen on him. His eyes were roiling with anguish, fear, pain, exhaustion and...no...she wouldn't define it because she knew he didn't feel that way about her, not anymore.

A babble of voices sounded in the main courtyard, and Xing'er realized that softer similar sounds had likely awakened her from her forced slumber. Her senses told her that she was alone save for the Cangwu bird, who was fortunately snoozing away on his perch at the foot of the bed. While Xing'er held a great deal of affection for her feathered friend, she didn't want him to tell anyone that she'd awakened given the myriad uncertainties with which she was faced.

Carefully slipping out of bed, Xing'er crept soundlessly across the floor to the same window she'd used to such good effect the night of the attack. She opened it slightly, making a gap just big enough for her to see out into the sunbathed courtyard but not so large that anyone would likely take notice. To her relief, the parrot slept on.

As always, her eyes were instantly drawn to Yuwen Yue, who appeared to be safe and well at first glance. A few tell-tale signs hinted at a deeper exhaustion, however, and Xing'er's brow furrowed as she realized that he shouldn't have been out of his rooms at this point in his recovery, much less Qing Shan Yuan itself. Her mind would've continued in this vein for longer had she not noticed the woman at his side—the woman who was carrying Xing'er's sword, walking in Xing'er's place, and talking with Yuwen Yue in an overly-familiar way.

Several emotions lanced through Xing'er at once as her mind tried to make sense of what her eyes were seeing. She stepped back from the window and closed it silently, tiptoeing back to the bed and climbing into it in an effort to shut out the reality of what she'd just seen. Pulling the covers up to her chin and closing her eyes failed to stop these new images from repeating themselves over and over again in a merciless cavalcade of damning images.

 _He's already replaced me,_ she thought, squeezing her eyes shut in order to prevent any tears from leaking out. _He's given her my sword, my place at his side, and...what? His love? Did he ever love me or was I just fooling myself? Does it really even matter? He's already made his choice; all I can do is to figure out what I'm going to do about it._

 _And just what are you going to do about it, you weak fool? a_ part of her taunted. Y _ou're tired just from getting out of bed and standing at the window for a few moments. How are you going to run anywhere—must less be able to protect yourself and your sisters? Of course, if we're lucky, he might just kill us now and put us out of our misery._

Another part of herself fiercely rejected the idea that Yuwen Yue could ever harm her and defended the man she loved as too honorable for such a scheme. She wanted to believe this part of her desperately, but she couldn't stop seeing the image of _that woman_ smiling at Yuwen Yue and him looking back at her with approval.

 _And why shouldn't he approve? t_ he snide voice said, attacking her again. That woman, _as you call her, is an upgrade over you in every way. She's a better fighter than you are. She's more beautiful than you are. She's...well...okay, so she's an Afterlife Camp assassin, but that's better than "born, sworn enemy," right? Face it: Yuwen Yue should prefer her to you if he has any common sense._

Xing'er tried to hide from this cruel part of her mind, but it spoke so much incisive sense that she couldn't do was a proud woman, but she wasn't blind to her many shortcomings. If Yuwen Yue wanted to replace her with a stronger, prettier, more trustworthy version of herself, then she should let him—after taking her own brand of vengeance before leaving, of course.

Footsteps sounded nearby, and Xing'er's mind tried to pull together the haphazard threads of her mental ramblings. She could tell that the poison was clouding her mind, but she struggled to pull a plan together before Yuwen Yue's approach made her reasonings moot.

 _I can't run away or put up a fight now if he tries to kill me,_ she acknowledged. _I'm too weak to fight. I have no weapons. I have no money. If he gives me the antidote, he'll likely be doing so with the intention of using me in some way before he kills me. Maybe he'll send me on some mission from which I'm not supposed to return. Maybe he'll make me a spy of sacrifice, pretend to mourn my passing, and then bring_ that woman _into my place—and into his bed._

The doors swung inward and an unmistakable tread stepped over the threshold and into the room. Xing'er forced her breathing to remain steady as if she were asleep and gave no outward indication that she heard his footsteps or the excitable bird that was now babbling about "not sleeping" and "just resting his eyes" and "Master's home."

 _If he cures me, then I'll get healthy—and then I'll run,_ she concluded. I _'ll play my part, get the lay of the land, and then, when he least expects me to, I'll take my sisters and run for Yanbei. Yan Xun will take care of us, and I'll be able to serve him._

Grudgingly satisfied with her plan for now, Xing'er waited anxiously as Yuwen Yue's quiet footsteps continued to move closer to the bed.

* * *

Yuwen Yue stopped near the side of his bed and looked down at his beloved, relieved to see the even rising and falling of the blankets covering her. He'd hoped that she would've awakened by now; surely if she were going to do so, the caterwauling of his parrot would've helped her along. She didn't acknowledge the bird's squawks in any way, however, and he feared that he'd have to force her to swallow the large pill he was now clutching in his hand.

He'd already placed Po Yue Jian and Can Hong Jian in their proper places on his sword rack and dumped the black robes he'd been wearing unceremoniously onto his table. The secret repository and the Liang spy's letter could wait; nothing mattered more than giving Xing'er the antidote.

Not wanting to waste any more time, he sat down on the bed, not even bothering to take off his boots. That, too, could wait. He gently placed his empty hand on Xing'er's left shoulder, softly saying her name as he tried to turn her onto her back—or at least closer to facing him. She made no move to stop him, but she didn't help him, either. Yuwen Yue frowned as he noted something off about the way she moved, almost as if she were deliberately trying to be dead weight rather than being so naturally.

"I have the antidote, Xing'er," he said, pulling her against him so that she was sitting in his lap.

Her eyes fluttered open, revealing troubled, clouded orbs that swirled with a variety of emotions, some of which made him immensely uneasy. His mind searched for where he'd seen that particular combination before, and the closest he could remember was the expression she'd worn in this very room after the Lantern Festival. She'd watched the hourglass drain as if she'd seen her own life slipping away but had had no idea of how to stop it from doing so. His brow furrowed as he realized that she was also looking at him in suspicion, and he couldn't figure out what would make her doubt his intentions.

 _You mean other than the fact that she recently revealed her true identity to you and that you were less than receptive to it, oh, brilliant spymaster?_ his snide side told him. _Just because you've had the chance to make some life-altering decisions doesn't mean that she's had the same luxury—or that she's aware of the ones you've made._

Yuwen Yue would've been more irritated with that incisive part of his mind had it not been so obviously right. He vowed to do all he could to make Xing'er understand that he wasn't going to let her past stand in the way of their future—but first, he had to cure her.

"Here," he said, holding out his hand with the round, brown pill in the middle.

She still looked up at him with suspicion.

"It's from the same batch as the one that Meng Feng took," he said. "She's the Afterlife Camp assassin who led us into their lair in exchange for an opportunity to get the antidote and to free herself and her friends from the master's grip."

To his dismay, his explanation only seemed to make Xing'er's face grow even more closed off and sullen. Yuwen Yue had no idea why she would react that way—unless…

She grudgingly grabbed the pill and shoved it into her mouth, swallowing it with fierce determination and an air of defiance. His entire body slumped in relief, and he didn't mind that Xing'er saw his reaction. In fact, he didn't care about a lot of things at the moment. He didn't care that Xing'er might be jealous of Meng Feng. He didn't care that he had no intention of reading anything he'd brought back from the Afterlife Camp lair anytime soon. He didn't care that he'd essentially left nearly two dozen Afterlife Camp assassins under the care of his Yue guards to do with as they saw fit. He didn't care that he hadn't even bothered to take off his boots before getting into bed.

 _All that matters to me is that Xing'er's safe,_ he admitted, carefully resettling his beloved in bed as he turned around to remove his footwear. After all, he planned to sleep for a long time, and he didn't want his boots to interfere with his ability to curl up with Xing'er, which was exactly what he planned to do.

The woman he loved didn't seem to share his plans, however, as she foolishly tried to get out of bed. His arm snaked out and snagged her before she could go anywhere, and they scowled at one another in confusion.

"You need to rest, Xing'er," he said.

"So do you," she said. "I figured that, now that you're back, you'll be wanting your bed to yourself again."

"Why would I want that?"

Xing'er looked at him in confusion.

"We've been sharing a bed for the past several days now, so I've gotten used to it," Yuwen Yue said, smirking.

"Ah?" Xing'er's eyes widened comically.

"Did you really think I was going to let you out of my sight before I could get the chance to heal you?" Yuwen Yue asked his beloved. "Besides, if anyone could find a way to get in trouble while unconscious, it would be you."

"You're one to talk," Xing'er muttered.

"What was that?"

"I said that I love listening to you talk," Xing'er said sweetly. "Your voice is so soothing."

She was looking at him with that fakely-innocent expression that had never failed to set his blood on fire; this time was no exception. He gave her an intense look of his own and was rewarded with the faltering of her own smug smile. In that moment, he knew that his earlier thoughts had been right and that this was the life that he wanted for himself and his beloved.

"As gratifying as your enjoyment of my voice is, Xing'er, I'd rather that both of us rest our throats for as long as possible."

"That will be more difficult for some of us than others," Xing'er said.

"I know it will be hard for you, Xing'er, but I know that you'll master this discipline like you've mastered all the other ones I've taught you."

"I'm glad to know that you've mastered the skill of not being in love with the sound of your voice, Yuwen Yue. How did you ever achieve such personal growth?"

"I found something better to be in love with," he said huskily, leveling one of his most potent looks at her.

"Oh," she said, tilting her face downward towards the bed as a sad, resentful look took over her face.

Yuwen Yue was at a loss to know what she was thinking; her response was neither what he'd wanted nor expected. Her reaction to his description of Meng Feng flashed back through his mind, and his tired brain wondered if his beloved actually thought she had something to fear from the other warrior.

"I'll let you get some sleep, then," she said in a subdued voice as she began to roll over.

Instinctively Yuwen Yue reached out his hand and touched her shoulder again, stopping her from turning away from him as she was obviously planning to do. She looked at him questioningly, and he stared back at her with an unsettled feeling of confusion roiling in his gut as to what to do next. Her eyes were large and vulnerable, and he wished he weren't so tired.

"Don't you want to have your own space?" she asked him. "Besides, if I'm facing away from you, I'll have to work twice as hard to slit your throat in your sleep."

"With what?" he asked smugly, neatly dodging her first question since he didn't want to admit that having his own space was the last thing he wanted.

"You're right," Xing'er said. "I have no weapons. You made sure of that. You even took my sword."

Her voice had turned especially bitter when she'd talked about Can Hong Jian, and he was puzzled as to what could've prompted her reaction.

"I figured you wouldn't need it while you were unconscious."

"I'm not unconscious now," Xing'er said, her eyes flashing a challenge. "I will be soon, though. I wonder what will happen then."

Yuwen Yue didn't often find himself at a complete loss, but he had no idea what was bothering his beloved so much. His mind blindly flailed around in search of an explanation, but he could come up with nothing.

"Fool! Fool! Fool!" his parrot squawked, insulting Xing'er as he often did.

Xing'er scowled at the bird and said, "I would tell you to go back to sleep, but you've probably been doing nothing but sleep these past few days, so you should have no trouble staying awake now."

Indignant squawks came pouring from his parrot's beak, but Yuwen Yue's keen mind caught on her assertion that the bird had been sleeping so much. While she'd phrased the insult as if she were only speculating, he wondered if she weren't speaking from personal experience. His mind flashed back to the scene in the courtyard before he'd come in, and he wondered if Xing'er had seen part of it from the same window she'd shot from—the one with the best view of the courtyard.

Meng Feng had been holding Can Hong Jian and smiling at him. She'd told him that he needed to take the antidote to his girl and that they both needed to get some rest. The thought of curing Xing'er and lying next to her had almost made him smile in front of the men, but he'd managed to keep himself to a staid look of approval instead. She'd also handed back Can Hong Jian and told him to return it to its proper owner, which had triggered another almost-smile. How much had Xing'er seen?

The sound of silence pulled him back to the present as he realized that his bird and his beloved were now glowering at each other silently. Although the effort to get out of bed felt several times more difficult than normal, Yuwen Yue nevertheless took advantage of the quiet and padded over to the sword rack. He pulled both swords from where he'd placed them not too long ago and slowly walked over to the bed, giving Xing'er the most potent look he could muster.

She watched transfixed as he tucked Po Yue Jian under the mattress on his side of the bed much as he'd done several nights ago before the attack. He slowly walked around to the other side of the bed and did the same with Can Hong Jian, never breaking eye contact with the woman he loved as she turned her head to follow his progress. They gazed into each other's eyes for a few moments before Yuwen Yue suddenly vaulted over Xing'er and settled neatly into place beside her, pulling the covers over himself once again.

"Now you can slit my throat in my sleep if you want to, Xing'er," he said, his whole body drooping in exhaustion. "But if you're going to slit my throat, please do it quickly so I can finally get some sleep."

To his relief, Xing'er's eyes lost much of their suspicion and fear. He didn't know if she fully understood what he'd done, but she no longer looked like she was going to run, which was all he cared about at the moment. The rest of their talk could wait for later when they were both a bit more lucid.

"What would be the fun of slitting your throat when you expect me to do it?" she asked, rewarding him with a small smile. "No, I'll wait for a time when you least expect my vengeance."

"I would expect nothing less, Xing'er," he said, closing his eyes.

He laid still for a moment, but he could still feel her eyes on him. Opening his back up, he gave his beloved the most stern look he could muster—which wasn't particularly stern if her expression was any indication.

"Rest, X'er," he rasped, intrigued by the expression on her face and filing it away for later. Maybe he'd try saying her name like that again sometime.

Her body gradually slackened and at last fell into what he suspected was the first true slumber she'd gotten since she'd been poisoned. Yuwen Yue wanted to follow her into his well-earned rest, but he couldn't resist waiting for her to begin shifting towards him in sleep as she always did. When the woman he loved finally rested her head on his chest with a contented sigh, he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her closer to him. The tired spymaster buried his head in his beloved's hair and inhaled, falling asleep before his next breath.

* * *

Dawn had just broken as Yuan Song, 13th Prince of Wei, set out from the palace, gloomy groomsmen and an unruly but magnificent horse in tow. While Yuan Song rarely set about his business so early, he knew that transporting Cold Fire from the palace to Qing Shan Yuan would take much longer than normal due to the horse's rebellious nature. The dark stallion had excellent bloodlines and was capable of blazing speed, but he was also completely unmanageable and frightfully stubborn.

 _Nobody but Yuwen Yue could handle a beast like this,_ he thought cheerfully as he wended his way through the streets of Chang'an, smiling brightly at the city-folk who were already hard at work even this early in the morning.

His thoughts turned to his friend, and he smiled at the prospect of spending time with one of the few men of honor in all of Wei. While he knew that the taciturn spymaster was much closer to Yan Xun than he was to Yuan Song himself, the 13th prince felt that he could call Yuwen Yue a friend without being a liar. Spending time with such a hard-to-read man was always interesting, and Yuan Song always came away from their meetings impressed with the man's cleverness and gravitas.

 _And his bedchamber maid, of course,_ his mind reminded him impishly.

Yuan Song grinned whole-heartedly, not at all abashed at the mental accusation. He'd admitted to himself that he was in love with the feisty, beautiful slave months ago, and he lived for the day when he would take her away from Qing Shan Yuan and its master and make her his woman. She would come willingly, thankful for the chance to leave her life of slavery behind and to be the mistress of his home—and his heart.

The morning light had grown stronger by the time he exited the gates of the city, and he took in the clear sky, the vibrant greenery, and the sun-warmed air with pleasure. Nothing could dampen his mood this day—especially when there was a good chance that he'd soon be with his lady-love. His smile grew broader not just at the prospect of being with Xing'er but at the reality that he was free of the city—and the palace.

Yuan Song's smile dampened a bit as he realized the discomfort he'd been experiencing while in Chang'an only by its current absence. Why would he feel such a relief to be out of the city when he'd seemed to be enjoying the hustle and bustle of humanity while he'd been in the midst of it? What was he trying to get away from?

Images from Jiuyou Platform popped into his mind, dimming his enjoyment of the day like a cloud covering the sun. The young prince felt himself grow cold as he remembered the grisly sight of the severed heads of Yan Xun's siblings being held up by Yuwen Huai and mocked by all of the nobles in attendance. He also recalled the gleeful, eager way his peers had reveled in the misfortune that had befallen his long-time friend at the hands of others they'd both once considered mutual friends.

 _Not a shred of decency or honor among any of them except Wei Shuye,_ he mused from atop his fine horse, a rare frown creasing his face in unfamiliar lines. _Only he showed any sort of discomfort with the proceedings; everyone else looked like they were having the time of their lives. The murderers themselves were particularly gleeful; how quickly would they turn on me if I fell out of favor with my father?_

His heart chilled further as he remembered the stern talk that his mother had given to both him and Chun'er. While he wasn't so foolish as to dismiss the words of one as well-versed in politics and court intrigues as his mother, he couldn't help the fact that so many of her words left him feeling cold inside. After all, if a man as good as his own father could potentially betray him even if he'd done nothing wrong, what good was his life, royal or no?

 _If I can't even protect myself, then how can I protect the people_ _I care about the most?_

Xing'er's smiling face appeared in his mind's eye, and he shivered at the thought of finally gaining her only to lose her due to his father's paranoia or a nobleman's petty personal vendetta. The image of his lady-love bestowing one of her rare smiles on him persisted, however, chasing away many of the bad feelings that had assaulted him.

Yuan Song wasn't made for melancholy, so his bad mood dissipated as quickly as it had formed. After all, he was still alive; Xing'er was still alive; Yuwen Yue was still alive. He was going to give his friend a fine horse. He was going to see the woman he loved. He was going to live well and live on. He was going to marry Xing'er somehow and give her the power owed to a head wife regardless of what other empty-head his family forced him to marry. Maybe they'd even end up ruling Wei together.

Another curse rang out behind him as Cold Fire once again shied away from his handlers, causing Yuan Song to grin madly. He turned his face back towards Qing Shan Yuan and lost himself in fantasies of the future that he and his Xing'er would have together.

* * *

Xing'er was disorientated to discover that the amount of light that was hitting her closed eyes was roughly the same as it had been the last time she'd woken up since that would imply that she'd slept an entire day. Of course, considering how comfy she currently was, the idea of resting for so long wasn't at all far-fetched. After all, the surface on which she was reclining was warm, safe, and solid, so how could she complain? It also smelled like Yuwen Yue, which suited her just fine.

The implications of her observations hit her full-force and caused her eyes to fly open in consternation. She was mortified to confirm that, yes, she was actually lying on top of her former master—with her arm braced around his middle, no less. She somehow managed to avoid making a sound, settling instead for tipping her head slowly back in the hope that he was still asleep so that she could extricate herself gracefully.

Of course, the infuriating man was already awake, looking at her with his typical bland, vaguely-mocking expression. She stared back at him, completely at a loss as to what she could say. While he didn't seem particularly disturbed by her presence on top of him, he wasn't giving any of his feelings away.

"Congratulations on not screaming this time, Xing'er," he said, his expression growing smug.

She scowled at him.

"Why would being in bed with you make me scream, Yuwen Yue?"

Her breath caught at the intense look he gave her. His eyes were filled with an odd sort of fire, but she couldn't figure out what she'd said that could've caused such a reaction.

"I'm not complaining, Xing'er," he said, his eyes still gleaming. "I'm just glad that you no longer feel the need to verbalize the terror you feel at waking up with me."

"Who feels terror?" she muttered.

"Your eyes were pretty big," he said in obvious disagreement. "What were you afraid of, Xing'er?"

He'd murmured the last big huskily, and she found herself unable to look away from his compelling gaze—especially when she was so close to his face. She also found herself unable to dredge up many of the reservations she'd cobbled together in her muddled brain the day before. She felt better, and no memories she held affected her more strongly than the potency of her beloved's expression.

Xing'er's stomach decided to either save her or betray her by rumbling; she couldn't decide whether to be embarrassed or relieved. Yuwen Yue's expression turned mocking again, but she could detect an overall good humor in his eyes. Maybe he'd seen something in her own gaze that had reassured him.

"I can hear that you're in danger of starving, Xing'er, but I can't give you the chance to eat me out of house and home unless you get off of me."

She rolled away from him as if he were on fire, trying to deny to herself that she was the one who felt feverish. Not in the foolish, head-swimming way she'd felt yesterday, but in the same way she'd always felt after Yuwen Yue had touched her with his hands or with his gaze.

 _So you've completely dismissed your thoughts and plans from yesterday? How convenient, h_ er snide side taunted.

 _No, I've simply learned new information that counter-balanced what I learned yesterday. After all, he cured me. He gave me back my sword. He let me sleep in his bed. Now he's going to give me good food. And he's looked at me...that way. Several times._

 _Those sound like the rationalizations of a kept woman, not the inheritor of the Wind and Cloud Decree._

Instead of continuing this inner battle, she rolled out of bed herself and went in search of a robe to wear. To her dismay, she could find nothing. Yuwen Yue, of course, had already managed to put on one of his pristine white robes and to look as immaculate and handsome as ever. She, on the other hand, was still standing there in her under-robes looking like a ragamuffin. Xing'er did her best to ignore the ugly, knowing chuckle part of her mind gave her.

She couldn't help but admire her beloved's effortless elegance as he opened a door and ordered a waiting servant to bring several trays of morning food and tea as quickly as possible. Several voices offered their assent, and Xing'er knew that they'd likely soon have enough food to feed all of the Yue guards brought to their chamber.

Xing'er's eyes widened again as she realized that she'd just thought of this room as _theirs._ She shut out the insults generated by her own mind, not needing her snide side's help in cursing herself for a fool. The image of _that woman_ smiling up at Yuwen Yue flashed through her mind again, but its ability to hurt her seemed much less potent when her mind's eye realized that he hadn't been looking at Meng Feng the same way he had just looked at Xing'er.

She glanced up at the sound of his wardrobe opening again and saw him pull out a white garment that she instantly recognized as the one she'd worn to the lantern festival nearly a year before. He walked up to her and held the robe out to her, and she prided herself on the fact that her hands weren't shaking as she put the robe on and tied it closed. Her composure slipped, however, as she saw the look on his face.

 _He definitely didn't look at Meng Feng like that,_ she informed her mind, which wisely stayed silent.

Xing'er thanked Yuwen Yue for the robe; he placidly told her that her sisters had brought it by earlier, and she knew that she'd have to have a talk with her well-meaning siblings. After all, she wouldn't want to give her former master the wrong idea about her feelings. Multiple parts of her mind produced varying reactions of scorn and mirth, and she couldn't disagree with any of them.

 _Except that I'd love nothing more than to be able to give Yuwen Yue the right idea about my feelings,_ she admitted.

She looked up and caught him gazing at her again, his thoughts so clear for once that she was almost convinced that they were a mask he was wearing to convince her of his sincerity. Her suspicions from the previous day stirred, and she tried to convince herself that maybe she'd been right about him after all. The various parts of her mind didn't even deign to give her a response; even her snide side was having a hard time rebutting her comparison of the look he'd given Meng Feng yesterday next to the look he was giving Xing'er now.

Yuwen Yue walked over to his desk and picked up what looked like a golden scroll case and turned back towards her, his face once again going inscrutable. He walked towards her slowly, his eyes gaining intensity without giving away his purpose. Wordlessly, he held the double scroll case out to her; she took it from him equally silently. She looked at him in question, but he simply dropped his gaze to the item in her hands.

Not knowing what else to do, Xing'er opened the case, ignoring its elaborate craftsmanship in her eagerness to know its contents. At first she was confused as she was confronted by a scroll that seemed to have random facts about unknown people written in a precise hand. Comprehension dawned on her as she began to recognize some of the names as illustrious people throughout the land. Noblemen. Royals. Powerful politicians. Spies.

Xing'er's hands started shaking as she found her own entry, which was detailed enough that anyone who read it and knew her would be able to figure out her old identity. She continued looking down at the scroll, but her eyes weren't absorbing any more of the words. Yuwen Yue had risked his life and the lives of his men in order to steal not only the cure to her poison but also this information repository that could've compromised her security.

"Th-thank you, Yuwen Yue," she whispered.

"Who said I did it for you, Xing'er?" Yuwen Yue asked blandly. "As you said, your identity is a liability to us, and we need to do whatever we can to conceal it. I've put too much effort into training you to lose you now; I was acting purely in my own best interests."

Her doubts and fears from yesterday seemed so paltry when compared to the mountain of evidence of Yuwen Yue's care for her. She mentally added "risked his life to protect my identity" to her list of things he'd done for her recently. Even her most skeptical side seemed willing to release most of her doubts about Yuwen Yue's feelings for her.

The sound of paper being sliced drew her attention back to Yuwen Yue, who was, to her shock, cutting her information out of the scroll regardless of the damage he was doing to exceedingly valuable intelligence. He seemed completely unperturbed by the ramifications of his actions and handed the damning piece of paper over to Xing'er as if it were a list of dishes he wanted the kitchen to prepare for the evening meal.

"What are you-? That is, what do you want me to..."

Xing'er was at a loss for words, and Yuwen Yue didn't seem to be in a hurry to help her to decide what to do with his gift. He stared at her calmly, refusing to tell her how he expected her to act.

"Why should I care what you do with it, Xing'er?" he finally said. "You can hang it on your wall if you want. Or maybe you could send it to the emperor-or, perhaps, Yuwen Huai. I'm sure they'd both love to read it."

"Yuwen Yue! You-!" Xing'er said in exasperation, scowling all the harder when that smirk appeared on her beloved's face again.

She knew that continuing this discussion was pointless, so she turned her attention to the desk, which had what she was looking for on it. Looking Yuwen Yue in the eye, she touched the corner of the information about her past to a candle's flame and watched in satisfaction as the paper caught fire. Xing'er held onto it for a few more seconds before dropping it into a metal pot that seemed to have been formed for burning sensitive documents.

"I hope you won't burn the rest of my gifts to you, Xing'er," he said, the approval in his gaze belying his words.

"That depends on how useful I find them," she said, smiling sweetly.

Smug mischief danced in his eyes as he withdrew a small, rolled-up piece of paper from its hiding place on his desk.

"Would you find a piece of correspondence I stole from the head Liang spy useful, Xing'er?" he asked.

Xing'er's eyes widened and she stretched out her hand eagerly, not even caring about the amused glint in Yuwen Yue's gaze as he smirked at her. At that moment, however, the doors banged open and a bevy of servants poured into the room, bearing platters full of delicious food that made Xing'er's stomach rumble again. She pointedly ignored Yuwen Yue's self-satisfied expression.

Her sisters also came in and reunited with her, squealing their delight that she was recovered—and, of course, that she was wearing the robes they'd picked out for her. She tried to admonish them about not providing her with more practical robes, but they babbled some transparent nonsense about how feeling pretty would help her to recover faster. They eagerly left the two of them alone together, their lack of subtlety making Xing'er blush.

Yuwen Yue seemed completely untroubled, however, sitting down at the table and readying his chopsticks without a care in the world. Xing'er stared at him in open bewilderment, unable to grasp that he was really going to put off reading a letter to the Liang spy that could have important intelligence in it in order to eat.

"Aren't you going to sit, Xing'er?" he asked as if he'd never broached the topic of the letter. "You're the one who was so hungry, after all."

"But...Yuwen Yue...the letter..."

"Will still be here after our meal, Xing'er."

"But I-"

"-am too faint from hunger to read such an important document? I agree, Xing'er. Eat."

She frowned fiercely at her beloved but did as he said, unable to be too upset about the prospect of enjoying a meal alone with him. Maybe he was right after all and the rest of the world could wait for awhile.

* * *

The buzz of excitement going around Qing Shan Yuan over the master's waking up and requesting breakfast for two initially masked the more low-key entrance of the handsome young man. In fact, had she not heard him addressed as "Your Highness," she probably wouldn't even have paid him much attention. While she wasn't inclined to indulge in gossip often, she couldn't help but be happy for her new master's recovery—and the implication of him breaking his lengthy fast with Xing'er in his room.

Meng Feng applied herself to her sword drills with diligence, her gratefulness and loyalty to Yuwen Yue as compelling as a poison pill in terms of motivation for excellence. After all, if she were ever to repay him for what he'd done for her and her people, she was going to have to keep her hard-earned skills honed to a razor's edge. Her plan was to serve Yuwen Yue for the rest of her life, however long or short it may be, and she knew she'd have to keep pushing herself to her limit in order to stay in shape.

The first time she looked at the prince she chalked up to simple curiosity. After all, one didn't see a prince every day, and he was admittedly good-looking. The second time she blamed on the way he laughed at something Yue Qi had said. Sudden, loud noises were distracting, right? The third time, she made up the excuse— _the reason!_ her mind asserted—that she wanted to make sure that Yue Qi didn't need any assistance with their honored guest. She wouldn't want to let her new master down on her first day at Qing Shan Yuan by allowing such an important visitor to be unsatisfied, could she?

 _Why are you paying so much attention to that arrogant royal?_ she asked herself after the fourth time. _Aren't they all the same? How many of them have you killed for? How many of them have your fellow assassins killed for?_

The good-natured, amiable man that kept drawing her eyes didn't look like the assassin-hiring type, though. He seemed to be care-free and happy, and the Yue guards, while polite, seemed to regard the man with genuine affection. They had not been so open and free when Yuwen Huai had come to visit earlier to check on her master's health.

 _Not that "better than Yuwen Huai" is much of an endorsement,_ she thought as she forced herself to refocus on her exercises. _After all, surely these men know that Yuwen Huai's the man who hired us multiple times to kill Yuwen Yue and Xing'er._

She managed to lose herself in the drill again, trying her hardest to not pay any attention to the handsome prince with the adorable smile.

 _He's not that handsome,_ she mentally huffed in frustration as she slashed her sword with particular vigor. _There are plenty of men out there who are much better-looking. And so what if his smile's adorable and his manner's pleasant? All that means is that he's naive, spoiled, and completely unaware of the political powder keg we're all sitting on that could blow at any minute—if it hasn't already._

 _Yue Qi seems to be handling him quite well,_ she thought as she completed another complex form, congratulating herself on definitely not looking at the prince but at the Yue guard instead. _In fact, I would swear that he's trying…to...distract…_

The pieces clicked into place as Meng Feng realized that Yue Qi was trying to give the master and Xing'er as much time together as possible before allowing the outside world to intrude. This was a sentiment that she could get behind, so she figured that she needed to do her duty for the good of her master.

 _After all,_ she thought, sheathing her sword and setting off at a determined trot, _the least I can do for my new master is to ensure that he has plenty of time with Xing'er. Though the prospect of interacting with a spoiled, pampered prince brings me no pleasure, I feel I must do so on behalf of my new master. Besides, a man like him could never regard a woman like me as anything more than a temporary amusement, and since I know that, I'm definitely not in danger of developing deeper feelings for him. Not that I've developed any feelings for him…_

* * *

Yuan Song felt no qualms whatsoever about cheerfully admitting to himself that he was attracted to the lovely woman who was approaching them. After all, he'd come to Qing Shan Yuan to see one beautiful woman and was going to get to see two. What more could a man ask for?

The black-clad woman was even more striking up close. Her eyes were full of both honesty and concealment, hinting at a personality that was rich and deep. He'd already seen some of her abilities, of course; not that Yuan Song would expect someone dressed as she was and spending time in Yuwen Yue's courtyard with a sword to be a serving girl. She gave him a reserved yet friendly smile, and he felt himself flash a grin that he knew was just a little too wide and silly. He regretted nothing.

Yue Qi made the introductions and told Yuan Song a bit about Meng Feng's role in the Afterlife Camp raid; the woman herself picked up the tale and told it from her point of view. She had a compelling presence and expressive eyes that gave her the means to tell a story in a way that couldn't help but captivate an audience.

 _At least, I consider myself well and truly captivated,_ Yuan Song blithely confessed to himself as the woman narrated her fight with the head Liang spy.

The prince lost all track of time, not minding in the least when Meng Feng segued into a tale about an adventure that she and her fellow assassins had experienced involving disguises, a brothel, and an abduction gone awry. She had him and Yue Qi laughing at the mental images she called up one moment while making them breathless with suspense the next. Yuan Song couldn't remember the last time he'd been so entertained.

 _Probably the last time I was here with Xing'er,_ he admitted, thinking about his lady-love for the first time in awhile. He did his best to ignore the stab of guilt he felt at his lack of attentiveness—especially given Xing'er's current condition.

"Thank you for the excellent story, Miss Feng," he said, grinning widely at the woman. "However, I really need to talk to Xing...I mean Yuwen Yue. Yes, I need to talk to Yuwen Yue. About a horse. That I want to give him. He's really spirited, you know. The horse, I mean. Not Yuwen Yue."

Meng Feng gave him a tranquil smile and a nod of acquiescence.

"I understand, Your Highness," she said, bowing slightly. "I guess I can tell you about the time I stole a priceless vase from the Crown Prince of Liang's palace later."

Yuan Song's interest was piqued, and his heart was torn between wanting to go spend time with Xing'er and wanting to listen to this fascinating woman weave another spell-binding tale. His gaze flicked over to the servant quarters where he knew Xing'er would be convalescing, but they automatically tracked back to the beautiful woman standing in front of him expectantly.

 _What harm could a few more minutes' delay do? h_ e asked himself. _After all, I'm sure Xing'er could use a bit of extra rest, and I really want to make sure that Meng Feng...Miss Feng feels comfortable around me. After all, I wouldn't her to think me a royal snob. Surely Xing'er wouldn't mind if I spent some time with another woman;_ _I'm not going to fall in love with Meng F...Miss Feng or anything._

"Now that I think about it, maybe Yuwen Yue and Xing'er could use a bit more rest," he said, trying to sound as casual as possible. "In the meantime, could you tell me about the Crown Prince of Liang? What was he like? How did his palace look? How did you manage to steal such a priceless work of art from him without getting caught?"

The woman smiled softly at his enthusiasm, not seeming at all put off by it. After a simple nod of affirmation, she launched into an engaging story that began with her infiltrating the prince's infamously-large harem and trying to fit in with the other women. She smiled at him as she extolled the virtues of the prince's generosity in regards to beauty products, and he was lost.

* * *

Xing'er's chopsticks dueled with Yuwen Yue's, each one mercilessly slicing and blocking the other in the fight over the last piece of beef. The man knew how much she liked this particular dish, but he was clearly determined to take the meat from her anyway. She redoubled her efforts.

Yuwen Yue stared back at her tranquilly, obviously interested not so much in the meat as in besting her. He flicked his eyes to his left casually, and her own followed them to the rolled-up piece of paper near his empty hand. She was only distracted for a second, but that moment was long enough for him to snatch the beef from the otherwise-empty plate and place it in his mouth before she could blurt out her indignation.

To Xing'er's exasperation, he then proceeded to sip his cup of tea contemplatively as if he had nothing more pressing to do today than normal administrative tasks. She looked away from him, pointedly refusing to give him the satisfaction of so much as a scowl. Somehow she didn't think that her defiant gesture affected Yuwen Yue at all.

At long last, he set his teacup down—only to reach out for the teapot again as if to pour himself another cup. Xing'er couldn't help but scowl at him this time, and he seemed to relent as if the frown itself had been his goal all along.

"I suppose I could wait a bit before I have another cup of tea after all," he said, his hand closing over the rolled piece of paper more slowly than was necessary. "This correspondence probably is quite important, so I should read it as soon as possible."

"'As soon as possible' would've been ages ago," Xing'er muttered.

"What did you say, Xing'er?"

"I said, 'It's possible that whoever wrote this did so ages ago," she said, giving him her most innocent look. "We don't know how old the letter is."

He didn't even deign to give her observation a response as he began to slowly uncurl the letter. Xing'er knew better than to hurry him, knowing that Yuwen Yue never did anything before he was ready. She leaned forward in her chair, her body posture giving away the eagerness she was trying to keep from her face.

The first hint that Xing'er got that something might be wrong was when he parted the paper to open up the final fold. Yuwen Yue's expression didn't alter, but his hand hesitated slightly as he moved to unfold the paper open at last. Xing'er watched him closely as he looked down at the paper, her own eyes widening when his face lost what little color it had managed to regain during his recent rest.

"What's-? Yuwen Y-!" she stammered, standing up from her seat but staying on her side of the table, knowing that trying to force him to tell her the problem would only draw things out longer.

Her beloved said nothing, however; in fact, she'd never seen this particular expression on his face before. The closest look she could compare it to was the one he'd worn right after she'd finally confessed her true identity. Even that expression, however, had had some element of foreknowledge to it, some sort of grim acceptance of a long-buried possibility.

 _He's shocked,_ her mind finally supplied. _Whatever's in that letter is so shocking that he's incapable of reacting to it outwardly._

"Yuwen Yue," she said softly, trying to draw him out. "What's wrong? Is there bad news in the letter? Is someone important in danger? Please tell me so I can help you."

He stared at her impassively, almost as if he hadn't heard her speak at all.

"Are you ill again, Yuwen Yue?" she asked, stepping forward in concern when he once again failed to react to her question.

Hesitantly, she took the necessary couple of steps to reach his side. She held out her hand towards the paper, her eyes questioning him as it came within her grasp. Just as her hand closed around the edge of the paper, he came back to life and crumpled it in his hand, clasping it to his chest possessively as he stood up with an uncharacteristic lack of grace. His face was closed off, fierce, and suspicious, reminding her of their earliest moments together.

 _He's still the same old Young Master Yue,_ the snide part of her said, its suspicions of Yuwen Yue's feelings for her reawakening. _He can make a bunch of pretty gestures and try to lull you into obedient complacency with a few smoldering looks, but in terms of actually letting you into his life? Forget it. And why would he trust you with whatever disaster is spelled out on that page? After all, who are you but the daughter of his most hated enemy? What choice do you have but to take your sisters and run before that suspicion turns into loathing?_

Whether some of her feelings showed in her face or he simply came back to his senses, Yuwen Yue's posture eased a bit as the paper crackled softly against his robes. He looked away from her, his eyes studying the ornate wooden shelving across the room that held a number of treasures, one of which was a hexagonal wooden box with gold detail work that seemed to draw his gaze more than most.

The silence was heavy, and Xing'er could feel their relationship balancing on a razor's edge. Maybe Yuwen Yue could, too, because he walked decisively over to his shelving area and came away with a shallow wooden box. Once Xing'er realized what it contained, her eyes widened as memories flashed through her mind. She remembered the last time she'd seen Yuwen Yue's shaving blades, the last time she'd held his life in her hands so literally.

Xing'er had lost track of the paper; her eyes had been drawn to the shaving kit so completely that she hadn't seen where he'd placed it. Still not meeting her eyes, Yuwen Yue strode back towards the table, placing the box on top of it and sitting back down in his seat. She stood there uncertainly, knowing that anything she said or did could set him off again.

"Come," he said lowly, his gaze on the box in front of him.

She bristled at first, part of her insulted that he was back to ordering her about like an iron bell. The tone of his voice penetrated her ire, however, and she heard the weariness and sadness in it. Xing'er had no choice but to obey; how could she deny the man she loved anything given the circumstances?

Not bothering to reply, Xing'er stepped closer to him and picked up the same large blade she'd used to shave him so long ago. It trembled in her hand, and she willed it to stop, her desires so vastly different this time that the realization almost made her dizzy.

 _Then I wanted to kill him but was afraid,_ she mused as she knelt before her former master. _Now I'm afraid that I'll kill him accidentally due to my emotions._

Ever so slowly, she raised the blade to his throat, noticing that his eyes were now closed much the same as they'd been that night. As she placed the razor against his skin, he began to speak, almost causing her to cut his throat as she'd feared she would.

"When I was a boy, I met another young boy and became friends with him," he murmured. "I called him 'Brother Yu,' and he called me 'Brother Yue.' After he went back to his homeland, we began exchanging letters, vowing to be pen friends for the rest of our lives."

He continued to unfold his tale as Xing'er slowly shaved the slight stubble that had begun to form on her beloved's pale face. She tried to figure out what his story had to do with the letter that had caused him to react so harshly, but she continued to draw a blank as she focused on not slitting the throat of the man she loved.

"A few nights ago, I wrote my pen friend again, telling him of my worries and troubles in cryptic figurative language as I always have," he said, at once getting her attention with that admission. "I sent the message off late that night, knowing that it would take at least a day if not more to reach its destination."

The truth began to dawn on Xing'er, causing her to halt her ministrations to her former master. He didn't seem to notice that she'd stopped shaving him and continued as if he'd forgotten she was even there.

"In the fight, the Liang spy slashed open my stolen robe, causing me to almost lose your pill. I lashed out in retaliation, slicing open her own robe. This paper fell out, and she reacted as if she'd just lost something very precious. Had this not been her own letter..."

Yuwen Yue trailed off, and Xing'er had to set the blade back in its proper place as her hands started to tremble uncontrollably.

"Is it possible that she's kidnapped your pen friend and that he needs to be rescued?" she asked, her question ringing falsely in her own ears. She already knew the truth.

Yuwen Yue sat silently for so long that Xing'er didn't know if he was going to reply.

"I keep coming back to the look on her face," he said quietly. "At the time, I thought it was the look of someone who had just lost important state secrets, but now...No...I'm sure..."

Xing'er had no idea how she'd managed to stop her hands from reaching out and cupping her beloved's face. She'd known him long enough to be able to tell that, behind his hard exterior, he was reeling on the inside. An irreverent question popped into her mind, and she found it popping out of her mouth before she could stop it.

"Is finding out that your long-term pen friend is one of your greatest enemies better or worse than finding out that your former bedchamber maid whom you trained yourself is one of your greatest enemies?"

Yuwen Yue's eyes flew open and focused on her as she paled at the question she hadn't meant to ask. To her surprise, the slightest bit of humor glimmered in her former master's eyes. This close, she could see the maelstrom of pain, grief, and betrayal swirling in his gaze; she was powerless to look away from it—or to walk away from him.

"For a spymaster, I've shown ridiculously poor judgment lately, haven't I?"

"Not necessarily, Yuwen Yue," Xing'er said tentatively, daring to tease him again. "After all, you did allow an assassin who'd just tried to kill you to lead your secret mission into the Afterlife Camp's lair, and that turned out pretty well."

"Your faith in my decision-making skills is touching, Xing'er."

"And you trusted me to shave you even though you know who I really am," Xing'er said, hating herself for not being able to keep the slight tremor out of her voice.

"That hasn't worked out quite as well," Yuwen Yue said in that contemplative voice that drove her crazy. "You haven't even managed to finish shaving me yet."

Her hands started to tremble again, this time for an entirely different reason than before. His expression belied the casual nature of his words, causing her mouth to go dry and her heart to start to pound. Xing'er gingerly picked up the razor and resumed her work, her body even more aware of the solid warmth of her former master than it had been at the start of the task when she'd been distracted by his story.

She could feel his eyes boring into her down-turned face, but she willfully ignored the sensation as she devoted all of her attention to finishing her task. That snide voice that had been questioning Yuwen Yue fell silent again as she realized that he was demonstrating his total trust in her regardless of her former identity. The blade almost slipped in her hands as the truth suddenly coalesced in her mind: she would never be able to leave Yuwen Yue no matter what happened.

 _I've gone too far,_ she informed the rest of her mind. _He's let me in too far. I could no more leave him now than I could become Empress of Wei. I'm his now. I'll always be his._

Xing'er was surprised at the level of peace she felt in light of her newly-gained understanding, but then she wondered why she was surprised at all since the sentiment looked so readily apparent in retrospect.

 _Is this how Yuwen Yue felt when he finally learned about my identity? After all, he should've known, but he didn't want to acknowledge the truth. Now that I've finally reached that point myself in regards to my feelings for Yuwen Yue, I can't blame him for not recognizing the obvious._

A final rasp of the razor over her beloved's soft yet hard jawline brought her task to a close, so she gently placed the blade back in its box and stood up. Her eyes met Yuwen Yue's, and her hands moved of their own volition to do what they'd wanted to do since she'd started—what they'd wanted to do for so long.

Lightly as a feather at first, she skimmed her fingers along his jawline, ostensibly removing the slight bit of stubble from his smooth face. Her hands lingered, however, making a more solid contact as she rested them under his chin and used her thumbs to rub his jaws more thoroughly. Xing'er knew that there wasn't so much as a speck of freshly-shaven hair left on her beloved's face, but she caressed it with her thumbs anyway, unable to stop her hands from moving where they willed.

"I'm so sorry, Yuwen Yue," she whispered to him, her thumbs giving up any pretense of wiping his chin and moving to caress his cheeks. "So sorry..."

The pain that had dominated Yuwen Yue's eyes had been replaced by emotions that were equally intense but much more welcome. He seemed as incapable of looking away from her as she felt in regards to him, and he made no objections when her hands gently tipped his face up towards hers. Slowly—ever so slowly—she lowered her face towards his, her whole body thrilling when she saw his gaze darkening and his head tilting back so that his lips would be able to meet hers.

"Trouble's coming! Trouble's coming! Trouble's coming!"

Xing'er had never wanted to kill that stupid bird as much as she wanted to at that moment; she wished she could shoot fire from her eyes at him and roast him on the spot. Yuwen Yue seemed equally displeased, but he gently removed her hands from his face just as the doors banged open and Yue Qi strode through them.

"Good afternoon, Young Master Yue," Yue Qi said, amusement and chagrin both playing in his eyes as he picked up on the heavy mood in the room. "His Highness, Prince Yuan Song, has come to visit you and is standing outside."

Xing'er scowled again, realizing with satisfaction that Yuwen Yue also seemed less than amused.

"I told him that you'd be delighted to see him but that I should make sure that you're...fully recovered."

Yuwen Yue gave his head guard one of his dry looks, conveying his sentiments—and her own—perfectly. Her beloved looked at her and wordlessly asked her if she minded getting caught in his room even though she'd been freed and was supposed to be resting.

 _Yuan Song doesn't know I've been freed,_ she thought, _so he'll likely think nothing of my insistence on caring for my "master" given the circumstances. He's likely not observant enough to notice the lack of a silver bell, or he might chalk its absence up to my recent illness. Besides, I honestly don't care if he guesses the truth at this point; there's no going back now._

He saw her acquiescence and nodded at Yue Qi, who turned around and ushered the prince inside. Yuan Song was obviously surprised to see her in Yuwen Yue's rooms, but she could see his somewhat simple mind come to the conclusions that she'd hoped he would draw.

"Still serving your master well, I see, Xing'er," he said, grinning at her. "Your devotion does you credit, but you should be in your room resting."

"There's nowhere else I'd rather be," she said ambiguously, allowing him to decide whether she meant here or her own room.

"Of course," Yuan Song said before smiling again. "In fact, I'll let you get some rest now. I need to talk to Yuwen Yue, but once we're done, maybe you and I can talk some."

Xing'er gave the prince a polite smile, but she didn't want to do anything to encourage his obvious feelings for her. She hoped that he would get over them soon, because she genuinely liked the prince in spite of his clueless naivete. Her heart belonged to Yuwen Yue, of course, but there was still a space in it for this well-meaning prince who, unlike the bulk of his family, actually seemed like a decent person.

"I will, of course, do everything in my power to please His Highness," she said, giving him a haphazard bow and that sweetly insincere look that never failed to make him laugh.

He did so; Xing'er knew that the prince appreciated her sass and would be heartbroken if she treated him with too much respect. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see that Yuwen Yue was scowling, and her heart warmed at the thought that he might be jealous of the prince. Her beloved stood up abruptly, his eyes catching hers for a searing moment as his face was turned briefly away from the prince.

The look in his eyes was shockingly open and vulnerable, perhaps as a result of the unpleasant truth he'd just learned about yet another person he'd let so far into his life. Xing'er found herself wanting to reassure him of the sincerity of her feelings for him since he'd so recently done the same for her. Before he strode out the door behind the prince, Xing'er called out to him.

"I'll finish shaving you later, Master," she said, a husky tone entering her voice without her permission. "I think I missed a spot."

The man she loved paused and turned around, his eyes telling her that he'd received her message.

"I'll have to punish you for your negligence later, Xing'er," he said.

"Xing'er will obey," she said, dipping her head slightly.

Yuwen Yue stared at her for a few moments longer before turning around and firmly propelling Yuan Song out the door. The silence he left in his wake was deafening; even the Cangwu bird was quiet. She slowly turned her head and looked at him, her eyes burning. He stared back defiantly.

"Missed a spot! Missed a spot! Missed a spot!" he gleefully squawked.

"Oh, shut up," she said, scowling at him as she opened the door herself and left their room behind, not wanting to stay in it without Yuwen Yue. The parrot, of course, had to have the last word, his screeches following her out into the courtyard.

"Punish you! Punish you! Punish you!"

Multiple pairs of eyes glanced at her in sympathy and shock before looking uneasily away.

"Xing'er will obey! Xing'er will obey! Xing'er will obey!"

She could tell it was going to be a long day.

* * *

AN: I was originally going to end this chapter with YS and YWY's talk, but this thing is long enough already and I figured I may as well end on a good XingYue note. Next week: YS/YWY's talk; XingYue proposal. Two weeks: Vengeance Xing'er-style—with Meng Feng's help. Three weeks: Vengeance fallout. Four weeks: More vengeance fallout. And stuff. I dunno.

Musical rec: "Fire and Ice" by Olivia Bray captures Xing'er's doubts, fears, and ultimate decision quite well. In fact, I listened to this song a lot this past week in preparation for writing this chapter, so that influence likely bled through.

Update: Angel Chua continues to torture us all with the slowest of burns in "Secret Princess" on angelchuablog dot wordpress dot com. (She's also posted a fabulous picture of Yuwen Yue as the header that I've already saved for...writing inspiration purposes. I highly recommend it based on my knowledge of my readership;).)


	5. Chapter 5

AN: This story's starting to move a bit now; I've noted all small time jumps within the story, assuming that some of the things going on now are going to take some time to plan. I know how some of you are, so if you'd like to skip straight to the XingYue proposal, it starts with "Yuwen Yue" in the next-to-last section.

* * *

Yuwen Yue stood outside the training paddock, admiring the black stallion that was currently held within the small space near his stables. A week had passed since the 13th Prince had given him the temperamental horse, and none of his groomsmen and trainers had been able to make any significant progress with him. This fact pleased the spymaster as it gave him the means to mete out the perfect punishment for Xing'er's supposed negligence while shaving him—along with other offenses he'd noted throughout the week, of course.

He smiled inwardly as he thought of the way his beloved would react to being finally allowed to do some real physical activity for the first time since her illness. She would pout and complain about being assigned such a difficult task before putting on that tough look he loved so much and defiantly showing him how strong she was. Yuwen Yue couldn't wait.

The horse started cantering around the paddock, obviously as ready for something to happen as Yuwen Yue was. Of course, considering that he was waiting on his beloved to arrive, he might have to stand there a bit longer. Xing'er would, of course, come only when she was ready— with the flimsiest excuse for her lateness and an innocent yet insincere smile on her lips, he was sure. Yuwen Yue wouldn't have her any other way.

Once Yuwen Yue started thinking about Xing'er, he couldn't stop. Not that this was unusual for him these days—or that he tried to halt such pleasant mental diversions. Since their almost-kiss in his room, they'd been dancing around their feelings for one another while still managing to display them in a variety of different ways around Qing Shan Yuan.

Not that they'd done anything inappropriate; the only times they'd touched one another had been during training. Still, Yuwen Yue had noticed some subtle and not-so-subtle glances between the guards and the servants when he and Xing'er had been together. Even if all they'd been doing was eating lunch under the pavilion or sparring with their matching swords, many of his people had been able to pick up on the unmistakable sparks that flew whenever they were around one another.

Part of Yuwen Yue's reluctance to ask Xing'er to marry him stemmed from the natural fears that any man had when contemplating putting his heart on the line for the woman he loved. While he was reasonably certain that his beloved would accept his proposal when he made it, he also knew that Xing'er could be unpredictable—and that she would raise several valid points about why their relationship couldn't go forward.

The biggest obstacle to their happiness was likely Yuwen Xi, and Yuwen Yue felt that, if his observations of Meng Feng's character this past week had been correct, sparks of a different sort would start flying when that detestable toady of a steward started rounding up this week's crop of poor, unfortunate servant girls to be sacrificed at Jile Pavilion. He wished there was more that he could do to halt the old man's perversions, but nothing he'd tried so far had worked.

If he were right, however, Meng Feng's reaction would set some events in motion that could see them rid of the evil man forever. Yuwen Yue knew that he could never raise his hand to his grandfather himself, but he had no qualms whatsoever about allowing those outside of his family to do so— with a bit of help from him behind the scenes, of course.

The horse whinnied, bringing Yuwen Yue back to the present. He glanced around, but his beloved was nowhere to be seen. Punishing her for her lateness would be enjoyable for both of them; he was already anticipating getting to hold her in his arms again—in a completely acceptable way, of course. Imagining Prince Yu's response to the way that Yuwen Yue was going to use his gift put a smirk on his face; the young prince would, no doubt, be less than pleased at the spymaster's upcoming actions.

A slight frown creased Yuwen Yue's face as he thought about the conversation that he and his friend had had a week ago. For the first time that Yuwen Yue could remember, Yuan Song had actually been bothered by something outside of one of his normal fits of pique when things didn't go his way. He'd confided in Yuwen Yue that he was upset about the way his father had treated Yan Xun and his family and that he believed them all to be innocent of their crimes.

While Yuwen Yue was glad to see his young friend focusing on affairs of state for once instead of idle pursuits, he knew that he himself had a fine line to walk in terms of what he could and couldn't say. As with Yan Xun, Yuwen Yue knew that there were many things he couldn't say to Yuan Song at the risk of them making their way back to his enemies' ears—or the emperor's, for that matter.

 _Yuan Song is one of the best young men I know, yet he's naive enough to blithely tell his father that he disagrees with the emperor's handling of the Yan family and that his good friend, Yuwen Yue, agrees. All of my people would be sold into slavery or prostitution, and I'd end up on Jiuyou Platform faster than I could say, "Treason!"_

He'd done his best to comfort Yuan Song without speaking against the emperor or committing to any future actions. He knew that if the young prince were to gain some maturity, he could be an asset to any plans to assist Yan Xun—or even to rebuild the Eyes of God. However, he also understood that helping the kind-hearted but childish prince to grow up would be easier said than done.

 _Maybe Meng Feng can help with that,_ he thought, the corners of his lips turning up slightly as he remembered the occasional covert glances that the 13th Prince had made towards his new spy. _Of course, if all she helps me to accomplish is to get Prince Yu to fall out of love with Xing'er, I'll be satisfied._

The faint, raspy sound of his beloved's boots trying to sneak up on him from behind the stables chased all other thoughts from his mind instantly. Nobody and nothing existed in all the world except for Xing'er, himself, and this dark stallion. He focused all of his senses on her inwardly while remaining as cool and composed as ever outwardly. She didn't stand a chance of sneaking up on him, of course, but that didn't mean that he couldn't revel in the hunt for a few moments.

Yuwen Yue could sense Xing'er's glee at catching him with his back turned; he was equally pleased at the prospect of getting to hold the woman he loved in his arms even sooner than he'd anticipated. The air and energy around him crackled slightly as she made her move, causing him to brace his muscles so that he'd be able to turn...just...right…

Xing'er let out an undignified "Oof!" as Yuwen Yue whirled around and caught her right before she would've pounced on him. She tried to free herself and continue the attack, but he quickly pinned her against the wooden fencing of the paddock. While he could tell that Xing'er was miffed that her strategy hadn't worked, he could also discern that she wasn't too disappointed about ending up wedged against him.

"Late _and_ sloppy, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said, feigning disappointment. "I'm ashamed to tell anyone I'm your teacher."

"Nobody makes you tell them you're my teacher," she muttered.

"And even more disrespect," he said, his face stern but his eyes glinting. "I'm going to have to punish you severely, Xing'er."

"How are you going to punish me, Yuwen Yue?" Xing'er asked him, looking up with wide eyes and an upturned face that just happened to be close to his own.

His grip on her tightened, and her face gained another level of faux innocence that sorely tested his self-control. He leaned in closer to her, gratified to see her own composure slip a notch in response.

"Riding lessons," he murmured in her ears.

"R-riding lessons?" she asked faintly. "But I already know how to ride, Yuwen Yue."

"If you already know how to ride, then you shouldn't have any problem staying on Cold Fire," he replied. "Nobody else has ever been able to ride him, but I have faith that you'll be able to do so—eventually."

Xing'er's wide-eyed stare was genuine this time as she looked at him in surprise.

"Never been rid...Yuwen Yue! You-! I don't know how to train horses!"

"All the better that you should learn, then. Come. I'll bring him to you and help you into the saddle; then we'll begin—unless you think you can't do it, of course."

Yuwen Yue wasn't disappointed by the defiance and fire that flashed in his beloved's eyes. While Xing'er was beautiful all the time, her fierceness was truly a sight to behold. She followed him into the paddock and waited for him to bring the horse over. He could tell that she was intimidated by the stallion's size and reputation, but he could tell she never considered backing down. She was magnificent, and would surely only look more so on the back of the beast.

Yuwen Yue gave the stallion a look that apparently managed to convince him that at least temporary cooperation was in his best interests as he helped Xing'er climb into the saddle—with a bit more contact than was necessary, of course. The look she gave Yuwen Yue told him that she knew exactly what he was doing, but that expression quickly gave way to alarm as the horse began to try to buck her off.

Xing'er clamped her legs against the sides of the dark horse, but that only agitated it further. To her credit, she'd already lasted longer than some of his grooms had. After a few more moments of protest, however, the horse threw her off his back, neighing his defiance for good measure. His beloved braced herself for a hard landing, but Yuwen Yue plucked her from the air and pulled her close. Her arms instinctively went around his neck as she looked up at him in surprise.

"If I'm being punished, shouldn't you let me land on the hard ground so that I'll be able to learn my lesson?"

"Who said I was doing this for you, Xing'er?" he asked, giving her one of his potent stares.

"Rascal," she muttered, blushing.

"I've only begun to be a rascal to you, X'er," he murmured into her ear. "Besides, you're the one who's holding onto my neck."

She dropped her arms comically quickly, and he let her believe that he was going to drop her due to her lack of support. Xing'er scowled at him but found her footing in time. He helped her mount up again, and she managed to stay on the stallion longer than she had the first ride. His beloved didn't seem too put out about being thrown, however, since she knew this time that she'd land safely in his arms.

They got into a rhythm as they continued working with the horse; Xing'er got better and better at staying on the stallion's back each time she rode him. Yuwen Yue, of course, continued to catch Xing'er with equal enthusiasm each time, holding onto her a little bit longer with each catch.

Yuwen Yue later admitted that he should've seen Xing'er's next move coming, but the woman he loved had often managed to surprise him by doing the unexpected. She came off of Cold Fire's back with practiced grace, so he moved equally elegantly to wrap her up in his arms like he'd done the other times. At the last moment, she changed position in midair so that he wasn't able to catch her properly. The flash of a gleeful smile was the only warning he got before he found himself on the ground with a solid, smirking Xing'er on top of him.

 _I have been in many worse positions,_ he cheerfully admitted to himself as he wrapped his arms around his beloved.

"Now who's being a rascal?" he asked, delighted when she didn't even try to get up.

"It's not my fault that you didn't catch me, Yuwen Yue," she said. "I'm ashamed to call you my teacher."

"That's too bad, X'er," he murmured, looking at her intensely, "because I have so much more to teach you."

Her confident look slipped again, and he mentally congratulated himself on his cleverness. The sound of a masculine throat clearing succeeded in clearing his head—and Xing'er's, as well, if her bright red blush and scrambling movements were any indication. Yue Qi stood beside the wooden fence, false concern written all over his face.

"Are you hurt, Xing'er?" he asked, eyes wide. "And you, Master? Are you well?"

"I was better before you showed up," Yuwen Yue muttered.

"Is that any way to thank your loyal servant for making sure that you and Xing'er were uninjured?" Yue Qi asked, feigning hurt.

"Th-thank you, Yue Qi," Xing'er said, doing a hilariously bad job of pretending that she hadn't just been caught lying on top of her former master. "Yuwen Yue was just...giving me riding lessons."

"So I could see, Xing'er," he replied, his eyes twinkling madly. "And you were doing such a great job of it, too."

Xing'er's blush grew even darker; Yuwen Yue, on the other hand, felt that he succeeded in projecting an air of dignified disinterest as he brushed off his dusty robes.

"You're right, Yue Qi," he said, causing Xing'er to scowl at him before he continued. "Xing'er managed to stay on Cold Fire longer than you did—several times."

"Of course she did," Yue Qi said, seemingly not bothered at all by Yuwen Yue's insult. "After all, you've given her more riding lessons than you've given me."

"Would you like me to help you to practice, Yue Qi?"

"No, thank you, Master," Yue Qi said, sketching a bow. "Somehow I don't think your methods would be as effective on me as they were on Xing'er."

If looks could kill, Yue Qi would already be dead and he wouldn't be far behind given the murderous expression on Xing'er's face. He felt that his punishment had been successful even beyond his expectations.

"Who said they were effective?" Xing'er muttered, clearly trying to get a bit of dignity back. "Yuwen Yue's teaching didn't help me to stay on the horse once."

"Don't worry, Xing'er," Yue Qi said, smiling at her. "I'm sure that, with a bit more instruction from Yuwen Yue, you'll be riding your black-haired stallion all the time with no trouble."

"I have better things to do than to waste time with you two," Xing'er said, scowling fiercely as she stalked away from them.

As amusing as the afternoon's session had been, Yuwen Yue couldn't let Yue Qi get away with saying such things to Xing'er. Apparently he had one more bit of punishment to mete out.

"I'm glad you showed up when you did, Yue Qi," Yuwen Yue said. "Otherwise I was going to have to put Cold Fire up myself. Now that you're here, however, you can do it for me—alone."

Yue Qi's paled face was almost as satisfactory as Xing'er's flushed one had been. To his credit, Yue Qi accepted his punishment with good grace, understanding that he'd gone a little too far but not seeming to regret his actions. That simply wouldn't do.

"And while you're at it, be sure to muck out his stall," Yuwen Yue added. "The stable hands are too scared to go near him, so I'm afraid it's quite messy."

Yue Qi bowed again, a look of chagrin appearing on his face.

"I understand, Master," he said. "Nobody punishes Xing'er but you."

"And my punishments are always mutually beneficial and equally enjoyable—and no longer perceived as real punishments by Xing'er."

Yue Qi nodded knowingly before saying, "I'm glad things have worked out with Xing'er. When do you plan on...that is, how are you going to..."

Yuwen Yue smiled inscrutably at his loyal friend.

"If I'm not mistaken, today is the day that Yuwen Xi's steward is supposed to collect slave girls for Jile Ge."

Yue Qi confirmed that it was.

"If I'm not mistaken, there's at least one of our new Afterlife Camp associates who will likely object to the practice."

Yue Qi's eyes widened in comprehension.

"She will. And didn't Xing'er just walk off...towards..."

"I should probably follow her just to make sure no bloodshed ensues, but I trust Xing'er and Meng Feng to...put some things in motion."

A grin broke out on Yue Qi's face and he made to follow Yuwen Yue. The spymaster looked at him coldly, turning his face towards Cold Fire. Yue Qi's face fell at the prospect of missing the show, but Yuwen Yue felt that this was suitable punishment for speaking inappropriately to his beloved.

"Well, I think I hear a dirty stall calling my name," he said ruefully. "I shall leave first."

Yuwen Yue watched his faithful guard captain walk away with satisfaction before setting off at an amble towards the main courtyard. This was normally something that Yuwen Yue avoided since he knew he wouldn't be able to do anything to stop Zhu Shun or Yuwen Xi from brutalizing those girls, but he had a feeling that this week's gathering would likely be a bit different.

 _Especially since Yue Qi wound Xing'er up and she's going to have the chance to take some of that ire out on a hated enemy. Between her and Meng Feng, they might be able to accomplish what I never could. If this is the beginning of the end, then I'm certainly not going to miss it._

* * *

Meng Feng and the rest of her former Afterlife Camp associates had just finished their sword drills when several feminine cries of despair rang out through the courtyard. She ran towards the sound, the scabbard of her sword a solid presence in her hand as she moved to confront the unknown. After all, she had vowed to serve Yuwen Yue in whatever capacity was necessary, and addressing threats in his own courtyard definitely qualified.

As she approached the site of the disturbance, she saw a squat, bald man and some goons roughly rounding up a handful of scared, young servant girls. Without hesitation, she drew her sword and charged the group, unwilling to let them harm Yuwen Yue's servants. They looked up at her in startlement as they saw her coming but wasted no time drawing their own weapons.

"Leave them alone!" she shouted. "Don't you have anything better to do than to harass some servant girls?"

The leader leered at Meng Feng in a way that made her skin crawl, looking her up and down as if he were judging her suitability for an unknown yet obviously unpleasant task.

"Who do we have here?" he asked, approaching her with bravado laced with a satisfying touch of fear he couldn't mask. "Do we, perhaps, have a volunteer to go to Jile Pavilion to serve the Master?"

"I don't know who you are, but _my_ master would never allow his servant girls to be treated this way!"

The man smiled at her in an unpleasant way and mockingly inclined his head.

"I assume that the master you refer to is Young Master Yue, who is, indeed, a great man. My master, however, is Yuwen Xi, and he, as the esteemed patriarch of the Yuwen family, is an even greater man."

"If he allows you to act this way towards the servant girls, then I'm not impressed with his values."

The little man's eyes widened in shock and indignation; in all likelihood, nobody had dared to criticize his master in his presence before. Meng Feng knew that doing so had likely not been wise, but the man's oily air of authority had reminded her of her former master and she couldn't allow the man to continue bullying these innocent servants.

"Who are you to criticize a man who has served the Emperor at court?"

"I'm just a simple assassin who still seems to have more common decency than some others around here, apparently."

Her reply didn't seem to improve her standing in his eyes, which flashed dangerously.

"So you're one of those Afterlife Camp killers that Young Master Yue defeated."

"Your servant's name is Meng Feng," she said, bowing with obvious insincerity. "Considering Young Master Yue's strength of body and character and his prowess with a sword, I see no shame in admitting to having been defeated by him."

Meng Feng saw no advantage to admitting to the small man that his masters' plan had almost succeeded and that she could've killed Yuwen Yue had she wanted to do so.

"Your touching loyalty to your new master does you credit, servant, but it still doesn't give you the right to talk disrespectfully of your betters. In fact, I'd better take you with me to teach you a lesson—and to show the rest of the servants what happens to anyone who dares defy me."

"Feel free to try," Meng Feng said, raising her sword. "You'll probably find that the results won't satisfy your pride, though."

Several more guards that Meng Feng hadn't noticed drew their swords, but she heard the comforting sound of her own men behind her drawing their blades as well. Not that she was intimidated by these goons in the slightest, but going into a situation like this alone was often a bad idea as the unexpected could happen in the blink of an eye.

"What are you waiting for?" the man yelled at his guards. "Get her!"

"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Zhu Shun," a familiar female voice rang out from behind her men.

The remnant of the Afterlife Camp parted down the middle with comical haste so that the diminutive form of Xing'er could stride through their ranks. Her face was hard and her eyes were blazing with loathing that the young woman wasn't even trying to conceal. While Xing'er seemed to be unarmed, all who knew her understood this fact to be a mere technicality—especially if she got angry.

"Ah, Xing'er," the man said, bowing with mock solemnity. "Seeing your lovely face is always such a pleasure. Speaking of which, to what do we owe the honor of this visit? I would've thought that, with your new-found freedom, you'd be too high and mighty to concern yourself with the likes of us servant folk."

"Your judgment is as solid as ever, Zhu Shun," Xing'er replied, smiling humorlessly. "As for my freedom, why should being free keep me from serving Young Master Yue's best interests?"

"I'm sure that serving Young Master Yue's...'best interests,' as you call them, is what got you your freedom in the first place," Zhu Shun said, smirking suggestively as his men snickered.

"I was Young Master Yue's bedchamber maid for how long and you're only just now figuring out all of the ways I might have served him?" Xing'er asked, eyes widening in exaggerated confusion. "That's slow reasoning even for you, Zhu Shun."

"You really think you're somebody now, don't you, Xin'ger," he said, sneering. "You never would've dared to say these things to me when I had the power to make your little sisters follow in their big sister's footsteps."

Meng Feng's eyes widened as she realized what the man meant. Xing'er's own eyes burned with banked rage, causing Zhu Shun's smirk to grow even more pronounced.

"Not that you can actually do anything to stop me from taking these girls now," he taunted, his gaze also straying towards Meng Feng. "Now that you're no longer a slave, you've progressed to the point where you can insult me pointlessly. Congratulations, Xing'er. I hope all those nights of pleasing your master were worth it."

"All the times I've served Yuwen Yue successfully have been worthwhile," Xing'er said. "At least I've served a master who has been worthy of my service, which is...well, I was going to say, 'Which is more than you can say,' but I suppose that you and the Third Branch deserve each other."

Zhu Shun's face hardened, but his sneer stayed in place.

"I'm glad to see you've recovered your guts, Xing'er," he said, smiling tightly. "I thought you'd lost them somewhere—like Young Master Yue's bed."

"Do you have any fresh insults, Zhu Shun?" Xing'er asked blandly as she once again ignored the buffoonish snickers of the men. "Or is that the extent of your repertoire?"

"You're right, Xing'er," the man said, looking meaningfully at his guards. "This is a waste of time. Gather them up, men. We still have to get them ready for the Master."

Despairing cries and desperate pleas rang out from the servant girls who had been chosen, causing Meng Feng's hand to tighten around the hilt of her sword. Allowing this to happen went against her grain, and she could tell that Xing'er felt the same way. Still, Meng Feng had to acknowledge that she was out of her depth here and that Xing'er understood the power dynamic better than she herself did.

"You're new here, Servant, so I'll let you get away with your cheek this time," the man said to her. "Next week, I might not be so patient with you."

"You have no authority over me," Meng Feng told the man. "Young Master Yue was clear on that point when he worked out our deal. We are not his slaves; we are voluntary servants. You can't take me or anyone else from the Afterlife Camp to satisfy your master's perversions."

"Are you...satisfying your own master's needs, Miss Feng?" he asked. "Surely he'd never be content with only Xing'er in his bed."

"You need to stop projecting your own master's moral deficiencies onto our master," Xing'er snapped, stepping forward aggressively.

"Ah, a lover's defense! How sweet," Zhu Shun sneered. "Sweet—and pathetic."

"At least I'm serving a good man by choice," Xing'er spat back. "You, on the other hand, have chosen to serve an evil man and to display your own great strength by bullying young servant girls while surrounded by guards. What's more pathetic than that?"

"Talking tough but being unwilling or unable to back it up, for one," Zhu Shun replied. "So come on, Xing'er. Show me how strong you are. Stop me. Or maybe your new friend here is going to do what you don't have the courage to do."

Meng Feng took a step forward, but Xing'er caught her eye, warning her against doing so. She seethed in frustration, hating the foul toady in front of her for his smugness. Xing'er's gaze promised Meng Feng something that she couldn't understand, so she decided to follow the woman's lead and let Zhu Shun go—for now, at least.

"I see you're already learning the art of submission," the man said. "That will serve you well in Yuwen Yue's bed, I'm sure."

Without another word, Zhu Shun turned around, barked some orders at his men, and watched in satisfaction as the screaming, wailing girls were dragged off to who-knew-where. He gave them both a parting sneer and a self-satisfied bow before turning around and leaving.

Meng Feng heard her men sheathing their swords behind her, but she didn't feel up to facing them just yet. Would they be ashamed of her for backing down? Would they blame her for taking her cues from a woman who'd been here longer and who had every reason to want vengeance on behalf of her sister yet had advocated for inaction?

"Would you like to see my new horse?" Xing'er asked her from out of the blue.

Meng Feng started in confusion at the apparent non-sequitur.

"Would you like to see my new horse?" she asked again, glancing at her significantly. "Young Master Yue got it from Prince Yuan Song and then gave it to me. He's a gorgeous black stallion with excellent bloodlines and blazing speed. Would you like to look at him with me?"

At first, Meng Feng was appalled that Xing'er could babble about something as unimportant as a horse after what they'd both been through. Her temper settled a bit, however, allowing for her mind to parse out the woman's meaning. The layout of Qing Shan Yuan unfolded in her head—as did her understanding.

"After that confrontation, I could use a good walk," she replied. "I could also stand to look at something beautiful and good."

"I don't know if you could call Cold Fire good," Xing'er said, smiling slightly. "He's unbroken and barely trained enough to stay in a stall and go where he's prodded by half a dozen men."

Meng Feng knew that this was Xing'er's way of taking them both to a place where they could talk freely—and to explain how something so heinous could be allowed to happen on Yuwen Yue's watch. Maybe they could solve this problem together—but first, Meng Feng was going to see Xing'er's new horse.

* * *

As Xing'er strolled confidently along the pathways of Qing Shan Yuan, she realized to her surprise just how much she'd come to consider this place to be her home. She knew that Chu Qiao would've been appalled at such a notion, but that fact gave Xing'er a sense of perverse satisfaction. For all that she now loved this place almost as much as she loved its master, however, she wasn't blind to its many faults.

The woman at her side seemed to be content to exchange meaningless small talk, obviously picking up on Xing'er's desire for relative isolation for their necessary discussion. While her feelings about Meng Feng were somewhat mixed, she knew that she couldn't let the woman remain ignorant of the power dynamics around Qing Shan Yuan like she herself had been for so many months.

Xing'er breathed a bit easier once they cleared the bustling area of the main courtyard, and she could tell that Meng Feng felt the same. As soon as they were out of earshot of anyone she could see, she launched into the basics of the Third Branch and their tempestuous relationship with Yuwen Yue. Xing'er could see the intelligence dancing in Meng Feng's eyes, and she knew that she wouldn't have to tell this woman anything twice.

 _Well, she was an Afterlife Camp assassin, after all,_ her mind reminded her. S _he's surely been well-trained in the art of information-gathering—and the art of appearing trustworthy._

Xing'er took this mental warning to heart, feeling a bit unsettled at the way that the confident yet often unassuming demeanor of the woman at her side made her want to trust the former assassin. Doing so could lead to the acquisition of a powerful ally—or it could lead to disaster and betrayal. She decided to proceed with caution until she could ascertain the woman's trustworthiness.

As the training paddock and stables came into view, she wound up her bare-bones overview of Yuwen family politics. After all, there were always grooms and other servants about, and she didn't want any of them to overhear what she was saying. To her confusion, a dusty, dirty Yue Qi was busy wrestling Cold Fire into the stables—alone. She smirked as she walked up to the beleaguered Yue guard, who grimaced at her presence as she greeted him.

"I was hoping to show Meng Feng my new horse," she said, eyeing him innocently. "Could you please take him back to the paddock so that she can get a good look?"

Yue Qi looked like he was going to argue, but he ultimately gave in, perhaps figuring that he should take her punishment for his earlier comments with dignity. Xing'er enjoyed watching the Yue guard struggle with the unruly beast, especially given the ribald nature of his jokes about her "riding lessons". After having been recently taunted by Zhu Shun, however, she couldn't be too upset about some friendly teasing from a guy who wanted her to have a relationship with his master. Yue Qi quickly made himself scarce, obviously having read their body language and figuring that they wanted to be alone.

 _Either that or Yuwen Yue assigned him some other punishments,_ Xing'er thought, her heart warming at her beloved's defense of her honor.

"That steward said something about, 'forcing your little sisters to follow in your big sister's footsteps.' What did he mean by that?"

Meng Feng's question made all of her positive feelings vanish in an instant as she was taken back in time to those early, dark days at Qing Shan Yuan. She tried to connect herself mentally to the scared, wary girl she'd been then but found herself unable to do so. Jing Xiao Liu was no more her identity now than Chu Qiao was; she had truly become Xing'er in all ways that mattered.

"You already know what he meant," she said softly. "You're a smart woman. I'm sure you can figure it out. I'm sure you can guess at what goes on at Jile Pavilion—what will happen there tonight. I can take you to the slave graveyard later if you're interested in seeing the aftermath. As for what happened to my sister..."

"Losing family so suddenly and brutally is never easy," Meng Feng said. "The pointless savagery that takes you by surprise when all you find is a bloody corpse..."

"Did that happen to you, Meng Feng?"

"You're a smart woman, too, Xing'er. I'm sure you can figure it out."

Xing'er's eyes fell on Cold Fire as he cantered around the paddock, and she realized that she understood.

"You didn't choose to join the Afterlife Camp."

"You didn't choose to become a slave at Qing Shan Yuan."

"And yet, here we are," Xing'er said, gesturing with her hands to indicate all of her beloved's home.

"Both serving Young Master Yue by choice—and not in they way that steward intimated."

"Zhu Shun has always assumed that everyone else is perverted as he and his masters are. I'm glad you can see through his lies."

"They were quite obvious. After all, anyone who knows Young Master Yue knows that he's too honorable to..."

"...take advantage of a slave girl in a vulnerable position? Yes, he is. He's never...I mean, we've never..."

"I know," Meng Feng said. "But you will someday. He loves you very much, you know."

Xing'er looked up in startlement at the young woman's candor. She tried to gauge Meng Feng's level of interest in Yuwen Yue, but the former assassin merely presented her with a matter-of-fact acceptance of her master's feelings for Xing'er. She detected no jealousy or angst, so she was forced to conclude for the moment that Meng Feng was not in love with Yuwen Yue.

"I know he does," Xing'er finally admitted with a sigh. "And I...well...does it matter? I'm not high-born enough to be considered a proper wife for him, and the Third Branch—among other powerful people-would make trouble for us if he were to so much as name me as his concubine. He told me much later that they barely allowed me to become his bedchamber maid."

"If he were to ask you to marry him, would you say yes?"

"You're a smart woman, Meng Feng," Xing'er said in what was fast becoming their code.

"As are you, Xing'er," she replied. "Surely you wouldn't do something as foolish as to reject him out of some misplaced sense of nobility."

"As as I said before, does it matter? At the moment, we couldn't get married, so why talk about it?"

"But what if you could get married?" Meng Feng persisted. "What if your biggest obstacles to happiness were...removed?"

Xing'er took her eyes off of her new stallion to look at Meng Feng in silent question.

"What's stopping you from...taking matters into your own hands?"

"I wondered when you'd get around to asking me why I haven't done anything about them yet."

"I'm not blaming you, Xing'er. I know I stumbled into a hornet's nest of past grievances, grudges, and politics about which I knew nothing. Besides, if Young Master Yue hasn't been able to stop this from happening, what chance would you have had before now?"

The woman's peaceful words kept Xing'er from getting angry. After all, why should she be mad at the woman just because she herself was ashamed at her own lack of action in regards to the Third Branch? Trusting her instincts, she decided to tell the truth.

"There was a time," she said quietly, turning her attention once again to the stallion, "when I had both the ability to try to do something and the lack of care to worry about...reprisals. I'm talking about a small window in which I had the necessary skills to kill Yuwen Xi and the indifference towards Yuwen Yue to not care about any suspicion and punishment that would fall on him from the palace."

"But now you do care."

"Now I do care," she confirmed. "And I won't do anything that would put Yuwen Yue and our people at risk just to satisfy a grudge."

Meng Feng was quiet for awhile, seeming content to watch Cold Fire's antics and to meditate on her own thoughts.

"What if you had help?" she asked, breaking the silence. "What if you had an accomplice who was equally skilled and trustworthy?"

"Why do you care?" Xing'er asked. "You just came here. You've lost no one to them. You gain nothing by killing them. What would you gain by helping me?"

"The satisfaction of knowing I served my master to the best of my ability. The satisfaction of knowing I stopped an evil man from hurting more innocents—and the satisfaction of gaining vengeance on their behalf. The satisfaction of knowing I could remove my master's biggest obstacle to happiness with the woman he loves."

Meng Feng paused for a moment before admitting a final point: "The satisfaction of wiping that smug leer off of Zhu Shun's ugly face."

Xing'er couldn't help but smile at that since she'd had that wish herself numerous times. As she'd done so many other times in her life, she decided to trust her instincts—and thus the woman standing beside her.

"How do you feel about guinea pigs?" she asked the suddenly-nonplussed woman.

"Guinea pigs?"

"Yes, guinea pigs," she said. "I know a delightful, eccentric old shopkeeper who keeps a bunch of guinea pigs as pets. He has a soft spot for me, so I bring his guinea pigs treats, and in return, he provides me with information—and any other odds and ends I might need."

"I think I know the shopkeeper you mean," Meng Feng said, smiling knowingly. "I would love to go with you to meet his guinea pigs—and to exchange some mutually-beneficial information."

Xing'er smiled again at the woman as they made their plans to visit the shopkeeper in a few days when they could both get away. She didn't worry about Yuwen Yue as he'd long ago stopped questioning her about her comings and goings. He finally trusted her, it seemed, and Xing'er felt a pang of guilt at the thought of using his lack of vigilance against him.

 _I'm doing this for us,_ she told that guilty part of herself. _I'm doing this for all of us._

* * *

Yuwen Yue felt an odd sense of mental dislocation as he raised his flute to his lips, almost expecting to hear the low drone of Xing'er's bi li beat him to the punch again. No such sound interrupted him this time, however, as he blew a pure, clear note into the night air from his own flute. As was its way, the moon had continued its cycle, reaching a state that was almost but not quite as full as it had been the last time he'd stood here with his flute in his hands.

A week had passed since Xing'er's first riding lesson and Meng Feng's first "Third Branch politics" lesson. He and Xing'er had shared a few more riding practices, each one becoming both more and less satisfying than the next due to her progress. On the one hand, he was proud of how well his beloved had taken to horse-breaking in such a short amount of time. On the other hand, however, he regretted the fact that this increase of skill on her part had led to a decrease in the amount of times she'd been thrown—and thus a lessening of his chances to hold her in his arms.

He'd also noticed her sneaking out a few times this past week; coincidentally, Meng Feng had also been absent at these times. Yuwen Yue had, of course, said nothing given that he'd expected as much after their confrontation with Zhu Shun last week. While the spymaster wasn't entirely sure of where they'd gone, he figured that it likely involved guinea pigs and slightly senile rants.

The melancholy tune wafted on the breeze currently stirring the courtyard, and he wondered if his beloved would come to him again in the moonlight. Given how their last late-night conversation on the upper level of the pavilion had gone, he didn't know if she'd want to risk him dropping any more unpleasant surprises in her lap. Yuwen Yue knew that the woman he loved was strong, however, and might be willing to brave the possibility of unpleasantness in order to spend time with him.

As if he'd conjured her from the starlight, she suddenly appeared in the courtyard, dressed in white as she'd been that night several weeks ago. The spymaster's eyes widened as he realized that she wasn't wearing just any white outfit but the lantern festival robes from last year. His heart—and blood—warmed as he realized that she'd taken special care to dress for him tonight.

Xing'er seemed to glide effortlessly across the courtyard, looking every bit as beautiful as she had that night several weeks ago. Not that Xing'er ever looked less than beautiful to him, but those white robes against her pale skin and dark hair...The melody rang out from his flute almost of its own volition as Yuwen Yue was spellbound by the loveliness of the woman walking towards him.

Her eyes connected with his, and he could feel the pull between them like a physical force. Part of him wanted to go to her, but he knew that she would come to him if he were willing to wait a bit longer. Considering that their relationship had always worked that way, he was content to keep calling her to himself.

His keen ears picked up the first brush of boot on wood as she softly mounted the first step of the pavilion. Without stopping his playing, he sat down on the railing, resting his back against one of the columns. Yuwen Yue turned his face towards the stairs in anticipation, no longer feeling the need to pretend to be his usual aloof, withdrawn self.

 _I no longer need or want to pretend I'm not in love with her._

The starlight wasn't as bright tonight as it had been a few weeks ago, but there was still enough natural illumination for him to see his beloved's pleased surprise at finding him facing her. He gave her one of his most compelling looks, and she slowly walked towards him. From the expression on her face, she felt the pull as much as he did.

Xing'er sat on the railing facing him and drew her legs and feet up on it, her own back resting against another column. She watched him raptly as he played his flute, her eyes seeming to observe every move he made as if she were memorizing it. The stars lit up her eyes and provided him with a glorious, glowing perspective of his beloved.

As the last note of his tune faded away, he lowered his flute and gazed at the woman he loved. Neither of them spoke or moved or breathed. All of Qing Shan Yuan held its breath—or so it seemed to Yuwen Yue. Xing'er stood up and took the necessary few steps towards him, glancing down at the flute in his hand before looking into his eyes.

"Teach me," she blurted.

"Teach you what, Xing'er?" Yuwen Yue asked, priding himself on maintaining his self-control.

"Teach me to play your flute," she said, eyes guilelessly wide and full of moonlight.

Although he knew that the innocence in her expression was, for once, genuine, he couldn't stop his mind from taking him to a place other than where his beloved had intended. He fixed a blank expression on his face, not wanting to have to explain to Xing'er the other meaning that her well-meant request could have.

"I already know how to play Yan Xun's flute," she said, not making the situation any better. "I don't know how to play yours, though, so..."

Xing'er trailed off uncertainly, clearly at a loss as to the reason behind his reaction. Yuwen Yue stood up slowly from his perch on the railing, his mask slipping to reveal the intensity within. Without a word, he slotted himself behind her and brought his arms around her, bracing one gently around her middle and holding the flute to her lips in the other.

She gingerly grasped the flute in her hands, clearly unused to its heft and size compared to her bi li. Of course, Yuwen Yue knew that her position in his arms might also be distracting her. He had neither the will nor the desire to pull away, however, so he decided to make the best of the situation as he'd done so many previous times when his lessons with Xing'er had been a bit more hands-on than necessary.

"You're going to want to breathe from here, Xing'er," he said into her ear, caressing her middle through her robes.

"Mm," was all she could manage.

"You're going to place your hands here and here on the flute," he instructed, clasping both of his hands over hers and demonstrating.

"Mm."

"You've seen me play this flute numerous times and can play the bi li already, so you know where to place your mouth."

Xing'er's "Mm" was more muffled this time as it went into the flute's opening where she'd cupped it with her lips. The sight of her placing her lips where his had been only a few moments ago drove Yuwen Yue to distraction—as did the idea of him later putting his lips where hers currently were and tasting her on the mouthpiece.

"I saw you memorizing my hand placements earlier, Xing'er, so play," he said, removing his hands from hers and resting them lightly around her middle. "Don't forget to breathe from here, X'er," he whispered into her ear to justify his position; Xing'er didn't object.

Her first efforts were as shaky as he'd expected given the circumstances, but he stayed silent and allowed her to figure the flute out on her own. After all, he could hardly scold her for missing a few notes when he was standing so unnecessarily close to her. She began to gain confidence a few lines into the song, and the melody began to take wing halfway through.

Yuwen Yue almost closed his eyes at the beauty of his song being played on his flute by his beloved, but he didn't want to miss one moment of such a lovely sight. His other senses overwhelmed him with an onslaught of sensory input. He could feel her lungs expanding and contracting under his hands with each breath she took. Her unique scent wafted up to him, every bit as potent as the sounds coming from his flute. Part of him never wanted this moment to end.

The other part of him was glad, however, when the final note faded away into the stillness of the night. It had known that Xing'er would likely transfer her attention from the flute to himself, and he was not disappointed when she did so.

"How did I do, Yuwen Yue?" she whispered after turning around in his arms.

His eyes bored into hers as he slowly ran the palms of his hands up her back, bringing them to rest on her shoulders. One arm reached behind her back and pulled her closer while the other cupped the back of her head and turned her face up towards his. Xing'er's eyes widened in comprehension as she parted her lips slightly, her eyes sliding shut in anticipation of receiving the kiss that Yuwen Yue had dreamed of giving her for so long.

Loud footsteps sounded at the base of the pavilion, shattering the moment and causing an expression of cold rage to form on Yuwen Yue's face.

"If that's Yue Qi, I'm going to make him muck out Cold Fire's stall with his bare hands for a month," he growled.

Xing'er's face had turned bright red, but she couldn't help but giggle softly at Yuwen Yue's threat. He looked at her in exasperation as she looked at the flute, the moonlit sky, the empty table, and any other thing that wasn't him.

A servant girl appeared at the top of the stairs, a bright smile on her face and a tea tray in her hands.

"Yue Qi sent me up with this, Master," she said cheerfully. "He told me that you would be thirsty and in need of refreshment. I hope you like it as much as he told me you would."

"I'm going to make him clean out Cold Fire's stall with his tongue for a month," he muttered.

"M-m-master?" the girl asked, trembling.

"Thank you," Xing'er said, stepping forward and gesturing towards the table with Yuwen Yue's flute. "Please tell Yue Qi that the master will thank him personally later."

The servant girl gulped but managed a timid smile in response to Xing'er's friendly expression. His face remained as impassively imposing as ever.

"Come on and drink, Yuwen Yue," Xing'er said, expertly pouring cups of tea for both of them.

"Do you really want to drink tea, X'er?"

His beloved swallowed visibly.

"What else would we do, Yuwen Yue?"

 _Do it now,_ his inner strategist commanded, drowning out his inner protestations that, unsurprisingly, sounded like his grandfather. He decided to listen.

"Come," he said, holding out his hand towards his beloved.

Xing'er glanced down at the tea for a moment before picking the flute up from where she'd placed it on the table and holding it out to him. He took it from her after a slight pause before holding out his other hand to her. His command was unmistakable, and Xing'er gave him a small, questioning smile as she walked with him down the stairs just as he hoped she'd be willing to walk with him for the rest of their lives.

* * *

As Xing'er stepped into the dim confines of Yuwen Yue's rooms, she couldn't help but be glad that Yue Qi had kept her from getting kissed in front of all of Qing Shan Yuan. Not that there were many people around at this hour, but she still didn't want to be seen in such a position—especially by a spy who might report such an indiscretion to the Third Branch. She mentally shuddered at the image of Yuwen Xi and Yuwen Huai leering at each other and discussing the details of her personal life.

Yuwen Yue had yet to say anything. He seemed nervous for some reason, his movements around the room seeming uncharacteristically graceless. While lighting a few candles, placing a fresh cone of incense in his burner, and straightening up his desk, he appeared nervous and distracted. Her beloved seemed to be completely oblivious of her presence, but she knew that Yuwen Yue always knew where she was in relation to himself.

Although he'd lit several more candles, the interior of his room was barely light enough for them to see one another. Not that this bothered Xing'er; after all, she knew these rooms better than the guest room in which she was currently staying with her sisters. Considering that she'd recently managed to take down half a dozen Afterlife Camp assassins from the window while shrouded in total darkness, she didn't feel she needed any more light.

The sight of Yuwen Yue picking up a box from his desk and opening it caught her attention. While she couldn't see any of its details, she could tell that it was the right size to hold a flute. She assumed that he was going to put his own flute away, but instead, he withdrew a smaller flute from the wooden container. He looked at it for a few moments, but he was too far away for Xing'er to discern his expression.

Yuwen Yue remedied part of that problem by coming closer to her, his face unreadable in the low lamplight in spite of his proximity. He held out the small flute to Xing'er, who took it reluctantly. She held it closer to her face and studied it, recognizing it instantly as a smaller version of Yuwen Yue's own flute. It was clearly the other half of a pair, matching its larger counterpart from its intricate artwork to its identical yet smaller tassel.

"What are you waiting for, Xing'er?" Yuwen Yue murmured. "That flute's not going to play itself no matter how hard you look at it."

She stared at him in confusion for a moment before haltingly starting to play. Her fingers danced over the smaller, thinner body of the flute, becoming used to its size and shape. Its tone was pure and sweet, producing a sound that she could tell would complement that made by Yuwen Yue's flute as if they'd been designed for one another.

As if confirming her thoughts, Yuwen Yue's flute joined the song, weaving a complex harmony around the melody she was playing. She faltered at first, but her former master never stopped, slowed, or demonstrated any doubt in her abilities. Their song became one as it danced around their room, its steps every bit as intricate as their martial arts sparring sessions. She never wanted the moment to end—especially once the probable identity of the flute's original owner came to her in a flash of insight.

The last note of the song faded away like the small cone of incense that had recently burnt itself out. Like the incense, its echoes lingered, adding a rich heaviness to the darkened rooms. Yuwen Yue looked at her silently, his eyes full of emotions that Xing'er couldn't identify. Some of his nervousness had returned, but there was also sadness, wistfulness, and just a little bit of...hope? Love? She couldn't tell.

"Thank you, Yuwen Yue," she whispered, breaking the silence. "That was beautiful. I think I can sleep now."

She held the flute out towards him, expecting him to take it from her and put it back in its box. Instead, he scowled at her.

"Why would I want it back? What would I do with it? It's just going to sit in that box anyway."

"But...but it clearly matches yours, Yuwen Yue. Don't you want to keep it safe?"

"Are you planning on breaking it any time soon, Xing'er?"

"No. But..."

"Good. Then you don't have to return it. In fact, we're going to play our flutes many times together."

"Oh. So..."

"I can see you used all of your eloquence on your playing, Xing'er."

"Like you've done any better tonight, Yuwen Yue," she muttered.

"What did you say, Xing'er?"

"I said that tonight keeps getting better and better, Yuwen Yue," she said, smiling sweetly.

He gave her a potent stare, somehow managing to smirk at her without the corners of his lips turning up.

"So you approve of the way the night has gone, Xing'er?" he asked, walking closer to her.

"Of course I do," she murmured. "I got to listen to you play your flute. You taught me how to play your flute. Then you brought me back here and gave me this beautiful flute to play. What more could I ask for?"

"You could ask for so much more—or you could take it without asking if you wanted."

Xing'er looked at him in question, knowing that she didn't stand a chance of deciphering Yuwen Yue's cryptic comments. She knew he would explain himself later if he deemed the knowledge important enough. Deciding to take the plunge herself, she asked the question she didn't really want to voice.

"Yuwen Yue, whose flute is this?"

"It's mine," he said curtly, his smirk disappearing.

"Whose was it, then?"

His silence spoke volumes.

"It was my mother's," he admitted. "My father had these flutes made to celebrate their first year of marriage. They loved to play them together during the good times before..."

Curiosity almost drove Xing'er to blurt out questions about his childhood and the fate of his parents, but her goal wasn't to take her beloved on a potentially painful trip through bad memories.

"I can't take this, Yuwen Yue," she said softly. "If this is something that your father had made for your mother, that he passed down to you-"

Yuwen Yue's face contorted in a haughty scowl the likes of which she hadn't seen in months.

"He never even bothered to give them to me," he said coldly. "He left them when he left me. I found them. I wanted them. I took them. He's never come back to take them from me. Now I've given _hers_ to you."

Xing'er stared helplessly at her beloved, shocked at the festering wound she'd inadvertently reopened. All she'd wanted to do was to return something to which she didn't have a right, and she'd somehow blundered into what must have been a great family tragedy. She forged on, however, unwilling to take the flute only for him to take it back later and give it to…

"Yuwen Yue," she began again, "this is something that you need to pass down in your own family. This is something you need to give to your...Someday you're going to marry a woman from a great house like your grandfather would want you to, Yuwen Yue. A woman with a background like that is probably going to know how to play a flute. When that happens, you're going to want to give this flute to your...wife."

Her voice broke at the end, unable to talk about her beloved marrying a woman that would satisfy the standards of his circles. She knew that he loved her, but she also understood that he grasped the reality of the world in which they lived. While she would gladly kill Yuwen Xi in order to remove his influence from their lives, she was under no illusion that doing so would make all of their problems work out regardless of what Meng Feng thought.

"You're right, X'er," Yuwen Yue murmured, closing the last bit of distance between them and holding out his hand. "Only the woman who is to be my wife can play this flute."

Tears filled her eyes as she slowly raised her hand and unclenched it, freeing the small flute that he'd recently given her from her grasp. She tried her hardest to hide the pain she was feeling, but she knew that he was going to see it anyway in spite of the low light. Even if he could see the devastation his words had caused, she wouldn't allow any of the tears to fall.

His own expression giving nothing away, he reached his hand out towards hers. Instead of taking the flute from her, however, he gently closed her hand back around it and pulled her to him in what seemed like a single motion. Before she had time to figure out what was happening, he'd already cupped the back of her head, tilted it back, and lowered his lips to hers.

Yuwen Yue's kiss was tender and light, yet she still felt her knees go weak. He seemed to have expected that reaction as his grip on her tightened enough to keep her from falling. Once she got over the initial shock of the contact, she couldn't help but respond. Her lips molded to his for the first time, and as the kiss deepened, she thought hazily that the flutes and swords weren't the only things in this room that had been made for one another.

Xing'er didn't know how long she and Yuwen Yue had been kissing, but he finally broke it off and pulled back slightly. Even in the dimness, she could see the passion in his eyes. His hand left the back of her head and came to rest on her jawline, much the same as her own had done a few weeks ago. As his thumb caressed her cheek, she felt as if she were standing too closely to one of the candles he'd lit in the room earlier.

"Marry me, X'er," he whispered, his hand shifting to cup her chin and tilt it up.

"Oh."

"That's not the answer any man ever wants to receive to a proposal, X'er."

"Oh. I mean...What?"

"What part of that was hard to understand?"

"All of it. I mean...Yuwen Yue...we can't...can we?"

"At least we seem to be moving in the right direction. I'll start at the beginning, then. You know what getting married means, right, Xing'er?"

She scowled at him as he made fun of her.

"As I already told you, I know that you're someday going to marry-"

"-the woman I love. Right. I'm going to marry her, and she's going to marry me. We're going to rebuild the Eyes of God together. We're going to rebuild the family honor together. We're going to try to help our mutual friend together—without further damaging the family honor, no less. And, of course, we're going to make plenty of Yuwen heirs together."

"Love? Heirs?"

"You got the most important parts right, X'er," he murmured, smirking down at her and running his thumb over her lips.

"But your grandfather...and Yuwen Xi..."

"Are not the woman I love, fortunately."

"Yuwen Yue! You-!"

His other hand left her back and joined its companion on Xing'er's face, both hands cupping her cheeks and tilting her head back up to his once again. This time, she wrapped her own arms around his neck and pulled him down to her, kissing him soundly. Her beloved was less restrained during this kiss, and she sensed the barely-tapped passion thrumming just beneath his skin. She was not surprised that he didn't even seem to notice the small flute that was now digging into the back of his neck.

"Are you ever going to answer me, X'er?" he murmured into her ear. "Or are you just going to let me assume that your answer is yes and we can go from there?"

"But Yuwen Yue, you don't need my help to do any of those things. How can I help you to rebuild the Eyes of God or the family honor? And Yan Xun—where do we even start?"

"I notice you didn't deny the part about the heirs, X'er."

She blushed badly enough that Yuwen Yue could see it in the candlelight.

"You don't need me for that part, either," she whispered. "Any other woman-"

"-would either drive me to suicide within a week or take care of the job herself even sooner."

"But your grandfather-"

"-is just a man. And he isn't here—or in charge of my life."

"But Yuwen Xi-"

"-is also just a...well, I don't know that you could call him a man, but my point still stands. He's not in charge of my life, either."

"But he could make trouble for us—for you—if you were to marry me."

"I'm sure that he'd be seriously displeased _when_ I married you—if he were going to be alive to see our wedding."

Xing'er's eyes widened in panic as she wondered if she'd been found out. She thought that she and Meng Feng had been careful, but she should've known better than to think that she'd be able to get anything past her beloved.

"Is something wrong with him?" she asked in her calmest voice. "Is he sick?"

Yuwen Yue looked at her impassively.

"Did he get injured? Did one of his toys finally manage to kill him in self-defense?"

"Tell me, Xing'er: How are the old shopkeeper's guinea pigs? Are they well?"

The blush was now a faded memory as her face lost all of its color.

"Yuwen Yue, I..."

"Did Meng Feng enjoy meeting them, too?"

Xing'er felt as if she were back in the jaguar arrow training area and that every direction in which she whirled hurled her into another extreme emotion. She couldn't fathom how she'd gone from a marriage proposal and kisses to accusations of conspiracy to commit murder.

"I...I don't..."

"So what's your plan? Have the two of you decided how to sneak into Hong Shan Yuan yet? Do you know how you'll kill him? Do you know how you'll escape?"

"When Meng Feng saw Zhu Shun taking the slave girls to Jile Pavilion, she almost killed him," Xing'er said, figuring she may was well confess everything.

"I figured she would," Yuwen Yue said, a thread of amusement sneaking into his voice. "After all, why do you think I had the Afterlife Camp doing sword drills then instead of the usual time?"

"And why you had me leave the paddock at that specific time, knowing I'd go to the courtyard," Xing'er whispered, her understanding of her beloved shifting within her again. "And why you didn't say anything those nights when I came back late."

"And why I'm going to give you this, Xing'er," he said, withdrawing a small bottle from his robes and handing it to her. "And why I'm telling you to make contact with the servants of the Grand Concubine of Hong Shan Yuan."

"The deaf, mute servants of the Grand Concubine?"

Yuwen Yue smirked at her.

"I see. You set this all up, didn't you?"

"Of course I did, Xin'ger. If I'm ever going to restore this family's honor—if you and I are ever going to be able to have a life together-I'm not going to be able to do so as long as the Third Branch has any power."

"So you're going to…?"

" _We're_ going to, X'er. You and me and Meng Feng and the rest of our people."

"And when are we going to…?"

"Sometime after you accept my marriage proposal."

"Oh."

"Are we back to that again?"

"I'm sorry, Yuwen Yue. You keep surprising me. Can you ask me again?"

He took her flute from her hand and deliberately placed it on a table.

"I want your hands to be free when you kiss me after accepting my proposal."

"Mm."

He took her in his arms again and pulled her close, looking deeply into her eyes before asking her again.

"Marry me, X'er."

This time, she reached her hand up to his face and traced the jawline she loved so much.

"Yes," she said softly, looking into his eyes. "I'll marry you, Yuwen Yue."

He kissed her passionately, telling her with his mouth how much he loved her.

"Say it again, X'er," he rasped before kissing her again.

"I'll marry you, Yuwen Yue," she gasped as he kissed her beneath her ear.

"Say you'll help me rebuild the Eyes of God, X'er."

"I'll...I'll h-help you rebuild the Eyes of G-god," she stammered as he kissed along her jawline.

"Say you'll help me rebuild the family honor, X'er."

"I'll h-h-help...rebuild the f-family honor," she said as he kissed her throat.

"Say you'll help me figure out...never mind; I don't want to talk about Yan Xun right after you accepted my proposal."

Xing'er tried to scold him for his slight display of jealousy, but she didn't want him to stop kissing her neck.

"Say you'll have my children—our children—X'er," he practically growled as he seared her mouth with another passionate kiss.

"But what if I can't-"

He cut her off with another kiss, conveying his displeasure of her question nonverbally.

"I'll try to have your children, Yuwen Yue," she said in a rush, "but I can't promise-"

"Then we'll just have to try as hard as we can, won't we, X'er?" he murmured before lowering his lips to hers once again.

When they finally grew short of breath, they parted, only for Yuwen Yue to pull her into his arms for a tight embrace.

"Say you love me, X'er," he whispered into her hair, his passionate confidence of a few moments before nowhere to be found.

She stepped out of his embrace far enough to be able to look up into his eyes, which were slightly shadowed. Her hand reached up and caressed his cheek before snaking behind his head and pulling it closer to hers.

"I love you, Yuwen Yue," she whispered just before she pressed her lips to his.

"I love you, too, X'er," he murmured before kissing her again, expressing his own feelings in a way that left her with no complaints—or doubts.

* * *

AN: Now they're together! Yay! But they still have to take care of some problems before they can get married. Next week: Vengeance on the Third Branch. Two weeks: Immediate fallout from said vengeance. Three weeks: Longer-term fallout/royal involvement. Four weeks: ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ .

Musical rec: Okay, so at the end, you should be firing up "Stars and Moon." For the rest of it, though, I would go with "Dark Horse" by Katy Perry. I, of course, prefer a couple of covers to the original, but don't I always? Those who like acoustic covers may like the one by Madilyn Bailey. Those who prefer rock covers may like the one by Our Last Night. Those who like a capella covers may like the mashup by Backtrack featuring "Dark Horse," "Burn," Timber," and "Counting Stars."


	6. Chapter 6

AN: While the violence in this chapter is no worse than anything I've written before or anything on the show, I still want to issue the caveat that there is violence in this chapter. This chapter is special to me because the basic framework of Xing'er's revenge plan is still intact from the time months ago when I wondered, "How would this Xing'er try to get vengeance on Yuwen Xi/Yuwen Huai without implicating Yuwen Yue?" So from that moment, this story became at least a double-shot (LOL).

* * *

"Have you brought me what I asked for?" the Grand Concubine of the Third Branch asked Xing'er, holding out her hand imperiously in spite of her barely-there voice.

Xing'er reached into her robe and pulled out the small flute that Yuwen Yue had given her the previous week, clasping it in her hands and bowing before handing it over to the handicapped woman.

"Tell me, child," the woman asked as she took the flute and studied it with a wistful yet bitter look on her face. "Do you know the story behind this flute?"

Xing'er hesitated, not knowing what her beloved would want her to tell this woman who held their plot in the palm of her hand.

"I know it used to belong to Young Master Yue's mother," she said.

"So he told you that much, did he? Is he in love with you?"

Xing'er carefully blanked her face.

"There's no need for that, child. The First Branch has always been too sentimental, which killed most of them in the end. I doubt that Yue'er would've told you anything about the flute if he didn't want you to keep it after tonight."

"The Grand Concubine is wise and perceptive," Xing'er said, inclining her head.

The woman let out what would've been a caustic bark of laughter had her voice been stronger.

"All of that wisdom and perceptiveness couldn't save Yuwen Yue's mother—my niece—from Yuwen Xi that night."

"What?!" Xing'er blurted, a cold blast of shock radiating throughout her body.

"So Yue'er hasn't told you that particular secret yet? I shouldn't be surprised. The Yuwen men all seem to love keeping their dirty little secrets."

"I'm sure Young Master Yue will tell me about his mother when-"

"-when he thinks you need to know, and not a moment before—if ever. While he doesn't know the full truth about his mother's fate, he knows enough that he could've told you some of it before you came here. Those Yuwen men are all the same."

Xing'er gritted her teeth together, responding to Meng Feng's soft touch on her back warning her against arguing with the Grand Concubine when time was of the essence.

"I would appreciate any information you can give me that will be useful for the mission," Xing'er said stiffly.

"I'll bet you would...Xing'er, is it? Mm. Star and Moon. Like I said: the Yuwen men are too sentimental. Too secretive. Too undisciplined in spite of their desire to prove otherwise to the masses."

"So why are you helping us, then?" Xing'er asked as she waited, growing weary of the delay and the slurs against her beloved.

"Because I want to see the sun," the woman whispered. "Because I want to be free. Because I want that bastard to pay for everything he's done to me and my family."

"Are you going to give me a dress to change-"

"It's over there," the Grand Concubine said, pointing towards a loosely-tied sack resting on a low table. "It was the only logical choice, really. My niece was a wisp of a woman, just like you. You could easily pass for her in dim lighting, you know. I wonder if that's why...but it's no matter. Yuwen men love who they will regardless of the consequences."

Xing'er opened the bag with a feeling of dread, noting that the material seemed to be much older yet nicer than the ripped dress that Meng Feng was now covering up with her own iron bell outfit. She pulled the dress out and held it up to herself, noting that the _tai fu ren_ was right: It looked like it would fit her so well that it may as well have been made for her. Looking at the woman in question, she began to take off her own iron bell costume.

"You've figured it out already, haven't you?" she asked, flashing what was supposed to be a grin but looked more like a grimace at Xing'er. "You know it was what she was wearing when Yuwen Xi..."

As she pulled the dress on with savagely efficient movements, Xing'er felt the rage she'd successfully banked flaring to life again. During the past week of planning, she'd managed to tamp down the anger and grief that she still felt over the loss of her siblings. The implications of the crippled woman's words, however, brought all of those emotions back to the fore.

"What should I say to Yuwen Huai?" Xing'er asked once she'd reined in her temper. "This wasn't part of the plan; I was just supposed to be another nameless girl."

The Grand Concubine was silent for a few moments.

"I don't know how much he knows," she admitted. "He's a cunning man who's familiar with his grandfather's nature, so I think he's figured out that my niece didn't have a drunken affair with Yuwen Xi like he claimed. I'm sure he's said things about Yue'er's mother around you; think about those insults and use them against him. You shouldn't have to go into detail; a few well-placed hints and threats should be enough to get the results you desire. If you and Yue'er have fallen in love with one another, I trust your ability to come up with believable lies when necessary."

Silence fell over the Grand Concubine's prison-like room in Hong Shan Yuan as Xing'er turned around in the peony dress. For such a frail woman, the _tai fu ren_ still managed to wear one of the most predatory expressions Xing'er had ever seen. She said nothing, however, continuing to stare at her as Xing'er copied Meng Feng and pulled on her own iron bell outfit over the lovely but ruined dress.

Meng Feng straightened Xing'er's iron bell and rearranged a few places where the fabric bunched too much, reminding her painfully of her older sister, whom the former assassin would resemble in dim lighting more than Xing'er wanted to admit. Xing'er did the same smoothing and primping for her partner in crime before pulling out her white veil and affixing it over the bottom half of her face. The former assassin did the same, and they both prepared to exit through the servants' door.

"I'll have to congratulate Yue'er on his cleverness when I see him," the Grand Concubine said before they could leave. "Not even _I_ cared about why my new 'deaf and mute' servants wanted to wear veils over their faces. I didn't suspect a thing until they told me the truth a week ago; of course, I stopped caring about much of anything long ago. At any rate, those outfits have just made you invisible. Nobody will care about you because nobody cares about me. Use that to your advantage and make them pay."

Xing'er and Meng Feng bowed their veiled heads to the woman and gave her their thanks. The _tai fu ren_ stared at the small flute she was holding in her hands, saying nothing. Not willing to waste any more time, Xing'er led the way through the door to execute the next part of the plan.

* * *

Meng Feng noted with wary pleasure that the Grand Concubine's assertion about their outfits seemed to be true. As they walked from the _tai fu ren's_ rooms to Yuwen Huai's, not a single person acknowledged them in any way. Apparently everyone recognized the deaf mutes who served the old lady, and nobody bothered to try to engage them in conversation—or to ask what they were doing away from their mistress.

The ease with which they traversed Hong Shan Yuan bothered the former assassin, making part of her believe that they'd have to pay for the lack of problems later with unforeseen complications. She dismissed such unproductive thoughts, however, figuring that nobody in the entire compound was a physical threat to her and Xing'er even without their swords.

Not that they were completely unarmed. Meng Feng had secreted a few of her favorite small knives and darts on her person, and she suspected that Xing'er had done the same. Seeing the woman without her slingshot and blade ring was odd; Xing'er had been particularly reluctant to remove the ring and had only agreed to do so after sharing a heavy moment with Yuwen Yue.

They approached Yuwen Huai's rooms from the back, hoping that the information from the servants that Yuwen Yue had planted in Hong Shan Yuan was correct. She assumed that somebody would notice a pair of iron bells loitering around the back entrance to Yuwen Huai's quarters in the darkness, but nobody said a thing. The wait felt longer than it likely was, but to her relief, she saw a servant girl approaching the building with a tray of wine and cups right on time.

Meng Feng didn't like this part of the plan since it involved interacting with a person who would remember their encounter. They hadn't wanted to chance trying to infiltrate the kitchens, however, so they'd settled for this method instead. Of course, all of their plan involved some degree of chance, and this part was probably the least of their worries going forward.

Bracing herself to appear deaf and unobservant, Meng Feng started walking towards the servant girl, sensing Xing'er doing the same slightly behind her. Yuwen Yue had been training the two of them all week in the art of not reacting to loud noises around them, so Meng Feng didn't flinch in the slightest at the clanking and rattling of the tray as it made contact with Meng Feng's middle. The servant girl dropped the tray in surprise, and Meng Feng managed to steady it enough so that it only hit the ground with enough force to shake things up some more.

In fact, the servant girl appeared to be more shaken than the tray itself, which was now being tended to by a solicitous Xing'er. Meng Feng blocked the girl's view of the tray while she patted around the poor servant, acting as if she were worried the girl was seriously injured. Xing'er had picked up the tray and was now handing it to servant girl, gaze downcast. Meng Feng felt this was a good idea since the last thing she wanted the servant girl to see was Xing'er's distinctive eyes.

Since the servant was still watching them in bewilderment, they looked at each other, gestured towards where they knew the kitchens were, and set off in that direction. Hopefully the girl would assume that they were going to pick something up for the Grand Concubine—or forget about the encounter entirely, if Meng Feng had her way.

The poison was now in the wine and on its way to Yuwen Huai, who had hopefully already had one pot of wine tonight and would thus be too inebriated in order to detect anything amiss. According to the two servant operatives, Yuwen Huai had taken to drinking heavily whenever he knew that Yuwen Xi was going to go on a rampage, so they'd planned to slip the drug into the second pot of wine. They saw the servant girl exit the building, obviously not wanting to linger any more than necessary. Now they needed to give Yuwen Huai enough time to ingest enough of the tainted wine that he wouldn't notice their presence until the right time.

* * *

By the time Yuwen Huai's booze-soaked brain alerted him to the fact that something was wrong with his wine, he'd already begun to feel its effects. His drunken mind urged him to drink more, so he did, not knowing why he did so. The dim lighting in his rooms was already producing a copious amount of shadows, and he suddenly began to see more of them moving around his room.

He opened his mouth to call out for his guards, but a sudden image of them looking at him with the same revolted expression that they often leveled at his grandfather behind his back flashed through his mind. No, he didn't need any help from those incompetents. After all, he was Yuwen Huai, the most cunning man in all of Wei. Soon he'd manage to take the Eyes of God away from Yuwen Yue and gain the favor of the emperor himself. He should be able to handle any threat that had dared to enter his rooms.

Small lights began to flare around the edges of his quarters, some of them staying lit indefinitely and others winking in and out of existence almost instantaneously. The shadowy forms shifting about him became better defined, changing from amorphous shapes into more human-like ones. Two feminine forms detached themselves from the undulating mass of shadows, the lights they bore in what he assumed to be their hands doing nothing to illuminate their faces.

What he could see, however, were their ripped, torn dresses, the damage unmistakable and familiar. For the first time in many years, Yuwen Huai knew genuine fear. He staggered over to his sword rack and drew his blade, waving it in a manner that would've been more threatening had his hands not been trembling and sweaty.

"That won't do any good against us," one of the voices said in a raspy, whispered tone.

"Nothing you can do can be any more painful than anything your family has already done to us," the other grated harshly.

"Wh-who are you?" he asked, his voice trembling.

"Would you even recognize my name if I said it?" the first one accused.

"You'd definitely recognize mine if I gave it," the second one said.

Yuwen Huai's eyes widened in terror as the figures seemed to glide around the room. Other shadows joined them, seeming to condemn him by their very presence. The two female shades drew nearer, and the barely-there features of one made him gasp in recognition.

"You're...you're...her!" he blurted. "The sister of that no-good maid, Xing'er!"

The figure paused for the barest of seconds as if surprised that he'd remembered her face.

 _Of course I remembered it. I was so glad to know that another person Xing'er loved had met the bad ending she deserved by being related to such a maid. And now she—her spirit—is here...in my room...with…_

"You killed me out of pettiness, Yuwen Huai," she whispered into the silence.

"I...I didn't...that was my grandfather! Not me! He's the sick one, the bad one. He killed you, not me!"

"Yuwen Huai. Yuwen Xi. Does it really matter? You're both the same on the inside."

"That's not true!" he roared. "I'm nothing like my grandfather! I'm my own man! I'm better than him!"

"That's not a high standard, Yuwen Huai," the second woman said.

The other figure glided forward, keeping her light lower than the other had done. She obviously wanted to torment him for a few moments longer. The dim glow reflected off of the dress, and his blood froze within him as its pattern finally penetrated his senses. Even in the darkened room, he still recognized the pattern of the Grand Concubine—the pattern that had covered the dress that his grandfather ranted and raved about every time he went on a bender.

"No...No...it can't be...you can't be...You're long dead! Dead and buried! I never even really knew you! I had nothing to do with...Surely you can't blame me!"

"But I do, Yuwen Huai," the voice rasped. "How can I not? You're just like your grandfather: a monster with no care for the feelings of others."

"But I don't do the sick things he does! Surely you've seen...I don't do things like that to those girls!"

"Don't you?" the voice taunted. "Don't think being dead has prevented me from seeing the things you've done, Yuwen Huai. I was there that day on the hunting grounds. I saw the results of your little play time. I saw the brutalized, savaged corpses of those girls. How was that any different from what your grandfather does? You're just like him. You're a monster just like him."

"No! I'm not a monster! I'm not like him! How dare you-! Leave me alone! Go back to where you belong!"

"But we are where we belong, Yuwen Huai," Xing'er's sister's spirit said. "We belong right here with you for the rest of your life."

"Forever?"

"Forever," the spirit of Yuwen Yue's mother said. "I'm looking forward to giving you the chance to get to know your aunt better, Yuwen Huai. After all, you're always tormenting my son about my fate, so you should get to understand that of which you speak, don't you think?"

"NO! You can't! I won't allow you to stay!"

"And what are you going to do to stop me? Your grandfather can't stop seeing me, and you see what that's done to him. How will you react to spending time with me every night? Will you fare any better than he has?"

Yuwen Huai waved his sword at the two figures, wanting to run them through to silence their taunting words. He cried out and charged them, not surprised when they seemed to fade out of existence at the last minute and reappear behind him. Slashing his sword wildly at them and the other shadows in the room also did no good at dispelling the faint, whispery laughter coming from the two figures.

"There's only one thing you can do to get rid of us," Xing'er's sister murmured.

"One way to prove to us that you're not a monster like your grandfather," his aunt taunted.

"What? I'll do anything. Just...I'm not a monster! Go away!"

"You have to kill the monster who killed me—who killed us," said Xing'er's sister.

"You have to kill the monster and save those slave girls," Yuwen Yue's mother rasped. "Otherwise your promises are just like those made by your grandfather—useless and empty."

"Kill the monster," he repeated, the idea taking shape in his head. "Kill the monster and you'll go away?"

"We'll go away."

"We'll consider your debt repaid."

"No more nightmares."

"No more shadows."

"If I kill the monster, that'll prove I'm not a monster," Yuwen Huai reasoned. "No more cleaning up his messes. No more listening to him put me and my mother down. No more nights like this one. No more...no more you!"

"No more us."

"No more us. Not unless you continue to treat my son poorly, that is. If you keep tormenting Yue'er, well, then...I'll be spending some more quality time with you, nephew."

"I'll be good to Yue'er, Aunt. I promise."

"And the servant girls?"

"I'll save them! I'll protect them! You'll see!"

"I hope so. If not..."

Yuwen Huai drew himself up to his full size and did his best to steady his weaving body.

"I'm going to kill the monster," he vowed.

"Yes, Yuwen Huai. Kill the monster."

"Kill the monster and any who try to stop you."

"Don't wait any longer."

"Do it now."

"Take control of Hong Shan Yuan like you were always meant to do."

"Avenge my death."

"Yue'er will give you the Eyes of God in gratitude."

"Take your rightful place."

"Kill the monster."

"Kill the monster."

"Kill the monsterrrr!" Yuwen Huai roared, running screaming out into the courtyard.

He staggered a bit on his feet as he whirled around to face Jile Pavilion, but the doors swiftly swam into focus before him. Running up the stairs with a wild howl, he cut down the guards who never even tried to stop him from entering. The fastened doors also gave way before his blows as if they wanted him to deal with the evil lurking within. Screams rang out all around him; some might even have been his own.

The blood incense tried to befuddle his head and distract him from his mission, but his inner power pushed it back. Nothing could stop him from killing the monster that was his grandfather. Women screamed out in fear and agony all around him, increasing his own rage and fury.

"Don't worry! I'll save you! I'll kill the monster!"

Yuwen Xi was currently standing in a shallow pool and choking the life out of some poor, nameless slave girl dressed in a filmy pink dress. Her wail of terror was suddenly cut off as his grandfather broke her neck with a savage crack. Yuwen Huai howled in rage and rushed forward, his sword carving through the guards who tried to stop him as if they weren't even there.

"You're a monster! I'm not a monster! You're a monster! I'm not a monster! Kill the monster!" he chanted as he hacked his way through the men trying to keep him from ridding himself of those spirits forever.

"Why do I have a grandfather like you?!" he yelled as he staggered into the pool and stabbed his grandfather in the stomach.

"Why was I born to the Third Branch?!" he screamed as he slit Yuwen Xi's throat.

"Why can't I lead the Eyes of God?! Why can't I inherit Po Yue Jian?! Why does Yuwen Yue always get everything he wants?! Why?! Why?! Why?!"

He punctuated every roared question with a slice, continuing to vent his frustrations well after the shallow water had run red with his grandfather's blood. Yuwen Huai laughed in relief as his consciousness began to fade out.

"I killed the monster," he muttered. "Did you see that? I killed the monster. Now leave me alone!"

The smell of smoke penetrated his senses, and he whirled around in confusion. Yellow and orange lights pulsed in his vision, adding to his befuddlement. He let loose with a howling laugh as he realized what the lights and odor meant.

"Burn the monster!" he cackled with glee as he doused himself with the red-stained water at his feet to protect himself from the fire. "Burn the monster!"

He stumbled his way towards the entrance of Jile Pavilion, entranced with the beauty of the dancing flames as they consumed all of the wood and gauzy fabric that had made this place so lovely. The enchanting nature of the fire almost compelled him to reach out his hands and touch it a few times, but his strong mind always overcame the temptation. Nothing would stop him from reaching his goal; nothing ever had.

Cries of "Grand Master!" and "Fire!" rang out from outside as Yuwen Huai burst out the door from within.

"Burn the monster!" he screamed as he gutted the first man who ran up to him. "Burn the monster! Burn the monster! Burn the monster!"

The screams of that pathetic steward reached his ears, and he sneered at the man. He was the monster's minion, after all. What if those spirits came back because Zhu Shun was still alive? Xing'er's sister surely hated the man, after all. One slice of his blade sent the pitiful dog crashing to the ground.

Yuwen Huai was vaguely aware of people running around in chaos, but he ignored them all as long as they stayed away from him. His blood was racing, and he wanted to find more monsters to kill. He set off at a shambling lope across the courtyard, quickly graduating to a staggering run as his instincts goaded him on to kill.

A couple of gliding female figures caught his attention, wresting a yell of denial from his lips. Something about the way they moved convinced him that these were the spirits in disguise. They had not responded to his scream, but that meant nothing. He was beyond caring about anything but getting rid of the spirits at this point. He'd tried his best to do what they wanted, and this was how they repaid him. He was determined to go down fighting, so he screamed his defiance at them and charged them, sword raised high.

* * *

Yuwen Yue sat in the quiet stillness of his rooms in Qing Shan Yuan, presenting a picture of serene tranquility to any who might see him. He was currently seated at his table, reading a bamboo text about...Buddhism. He knew it was definitely about Buddhism. Of course, he hadn't read a single character on the scroll since he'd picked it up, but he was certain that nobody else knew about his lack of concentration, which was all that mattered.

Not that there were many people about. It was, after all, late at night, and nothing of any consequence was supposed to be happening. Nobody else but Yue Qi knew about the Hong Shan Yuan mission that he'd been planning for months—or years, if he were honest with himself. Nobody else knew that Xing'er and Meng Feng weren't in their beds like everyone else thought they were. Nobody else knew that, inside, Yuwen Yue was a roiling mass of anxiety and worry.

He sipped from a cup of tea that a maidservant had brought him, wishing for the fifth or sixth time that night that Xing'er had made it for him. While Yuwen Yue knew that much of his current desire for Xing'er's company stemmed from his fears about her safety during the mission, he had to admit that some of it came from his simple desire for her company. He enjoyed spending time with his beloved and he wanted to spend more time with her in the future.

Yuwen Yue had long ago given up on the idea of marrying a woman for love—or that he'd even care for whomever he'd be forced to wed whenever one grandfather or other finally got his way. He closed his eyes as if savoring the tea, relishing instead the realization that, if all went well tonight, he would be in a position to be able to eventually become one with a woman he not only loved but liked.

Thoughts of becoming one in every way with Xing'er popped into his mind as they often did, chasing away the tension within him for a few blissful moments. He couldn't help but smile as he remembered the ardor she'd displayed during the rewards she received during training this week. While he knew that his training methods had been a bit unorthodox, he couldn't deny that Xing'er had gotten better at not responding to loud noises than she had been before that week.

The rules of the training regimen had been simple. He'd sneak up on her and make a sound. If she reacted to it, she had to spend an hour training in the jaguar arrow area. If she managed to act like she didn't hear him, however...Yuwen Yue allowed his smile to grow wider since he knew that nobody would be able to see it. Xing'er had gotten so good at pretending to be deaf that she'd innocently told him that she felt that she deserved an even greater reward for her advancement. The results of her request had been pleasurable for both of them and had fueled his dreams all the more.

Footsteps sounded outside of his open door and his smile immediately vanished. He projected an air of detached disinterest as the maidservant entered the room to take away the tray. She asked him if he wanted some more tea, and he responded that he did. He also asked her to light a cone of incense. His eyes never left the bamboo text.

As her footsteps faded away, he willed the sand in his wooden timekeeper to fall faster. Not that such futile wishes had ever forced time to speed up in the past, but he knew there was always a first time for everything. If he could find a way to bring Xing'er back into his arms more quickly, he would do it in a heartbeat.

Yuwen Yue wondered where his beloved was at that moment. Surely she'd already met with the Grand Concubine and set off towards Yuwen Huai's rooms. Had she poisoned his wine already? Had he drunk it? Had she and Meng Feng managed to convince him to kill Yuwen Xi yet? Had he done so? Were they heading back towards the _tai fu ren's_ room? Was she already on her way back to him? Had everything gone according to plan? Was she safe? Had she been hurt? Killed? Captured?

The young servant girl returned, setting his new tea tray on the table with a smile. This time, he looked at her and gave her a polite look of dismissal. He rolled up one sacred text and reached for another as she left, not caring any more about the contents of this one than he had the last. Hopefully the next set of footprints he heard would be Yue Qi's, running to tell him of the attack on Hong Shan Yuan.

His loyal guard was the only one left in Qing Shan Yuan who knew the details of the mission, although he was sure that some others may have come to suspect that something was going on. Hopefully the perceptive ones who'd managed to notice the air of tension hanging around the place this past week would keep their suspicions to themselves.

Yuwen Yue put aside such impractical thoughts and went back to worrying about Xing'er, which was, if not useful, at least unavoidable. Would she get back to her room in time? Would she be in bed waiting for him when he banged open her doors to rouse her? Or would he be greeted with an empty bed and terrified sisters?

He sipped his fresh cup of tea and turned his attention to his latest sacred text, the characters blurring before him as his mind insistently reverted to thoughts of his beloved. While he knew that, hopefully, the Third Branch was having a significantly worse night than he was, the thought did nothing to assuage his troubled mind. The sand continued to drop at its normal rate, taunting him with its regularity—and at his inability to do any more to help the woman he loved with her mission.

* * *

All of Xing'er's instincts were screaming at her to turn around and face the murderous madman bearing down on her and Meng Feng. Her training, however, told her to face forward, to keep walking sedately towards their destination, and to not react outwardly regardless of the turmoil within. She knew that she was moments away from blowing her cover; a surreptitious glance to her right told her that Meng Feng had reached the same point.

Yuwen Huai continued to yell about spirits and how he'd kept his part of the bargain and that if they weren't going to go away, he'd make them. Xing'er couldn't help but admire the observational skills of her enemy as she realized that, even in his inebriated state, he'd somehow managed to connect them—or their style of movement, perhaps—to the so-called spirits that had paid him a visit in his rooms.

The staggering, uneven footsteps were closing in on them, and they were nowhere near close enough to the Grand Concubine's prison to reach the front entrance at their current pace, much less the back one. She and Meng Feng had, of course, prepared for the possibility of having to survive the spider's nest that guarded the front hallway of the _tai fu ren's_ residence; her punishments from Yuwen Yue had been training for just such a possibility. In order to navigate the nest, of course, they actually had to reach it, which was a tall order given Yuwen Huai's approach from their back and the guards standing at the front door.

Xing'er's hand tensed as she prepared to reach inside her robe for the dagger she'd concealed there. Her cover would be blown, but she knew she wouldn't stand a chance of survival without her knife. Not that her chances of survival were that high right now, but at least she'd go down with a blade in her hand.

"Stop him!" a male voice rang out from behind them and addressing the guards at the door. "Young Master Huai's gone mad! He's killed the Grand Master, the steward, and every other guard he's found. Defend yourselves! Fight or die!"

The startled expressions on the guards' faces gave Xing'er and Meng Feng a valid excuse to react first with curiosity, then with open fear as they turned around and saw the blood-covered figure who was poised to cut them down. They made silent screams with their mouths wide open and eyes projecting a fear that wasn't entirely feigned. The guards rushed past them and engaged Yuwen Huai, who bellowed at them and called them "minions of the monster".

Xing'er took off at a run, Meng Feng matching her stride for stride as they pelted for the Grand Concubine's house. They could hear men dying quickly behind them, and they realized that the drug they'd given Yuwen Huai had made him virtually unstoppable. Instead of veering off towards the back of the building, they made for the front door, hoping that Yuwen Huai wouldn't follow them into the spider's nest beyond.

Meng Feng reached the door first and wrenched it open; Xing'er followed her through as they heard the last guard die with a harsh gurgle. They pulled the door shut, but it was unable to block out the roar of rage that Yuwen Huai made as he saw his spirits escaping. She shared a look with the former assassin as they quickly took off their iron bell robes and once again stood clad only in the torn, stained dresses and their white veils, taking heart from the woman's stolid determination and steady confidence visible in her eyes.

The sound of lunging footsteps met their ears again, so they leaped into the spider's nest without hesitation. The whining whooshing of the darts sounded immediately, and their training came to the fore once again as they used their robes to deflect and collect the metal projectiles. They knew they couldn't leave any trace of themselves behind, and a hallway full of darts would raise questions without easy answers.

Oddly enough, this part of the mission was less nerve-wracking for Xing'er than the other parts had been. After all, this was instinct. This was raw reflexes, speed, and dexterity. There was no play-acting in the spider's nest. There was no need to pretend to be anything other than what she was. There were only the darts, the robes, and the two of them, dodging and twirling around and beside one another.

Their veils trailed behind them as they turned their backs to the last set of darts and drifted backwards just as Yuwen Yue had taught them. Xing'er smiled briefly behind her veil as she remembered the kiss Yuwen Yue had given her when she'd finally gotten the motions right.

 _Yuwen Yue, you're going to owe me your longest, deepest kiss yet if I make it home,_ she thought as she powered her way towards the safety of the area in front of the Grand Concubine's door.

A jerk of Meng Feng's shoulder was the only indication Xing'er had that something was wrong before a dart whizzed by her head so close that it took a few strands of her hair with it. She pulled the woman to safety before another dart could hit them, the sudden silence caused by the lack of firing mechanisms deafening.

That quiet was shattered as the front door flew open and Yuwen Huai burst into the building. He gave a howl of glee as he spotted them—especially given that he could now see the same dresses they'd worn into his chambers. Xing'er twisted the stone handle and pulled the heavy door open, pausing only to look at the deranged, blood-covered form of Yuwen Huai as he lurched into the spider's nest. A couple of metallic thunks followed by a scream of agony that was suddenly cut off followed Xing'er and Meng Feng as they scrambled into the _tai fu ren's_ room.

The woman greeted them with a small, wry smile and, of course, an insult.

"So I see the plan went as smoothly as Yuwen-made plans usually go."

Xing'er couldn't argue with the woman's barb this time.

"The Grand Concubine is wise and perceptive," she admitted again as she shucked off the peony-patterned dress. "But the plan worked. It worked a little too well, but it worked."

Standing there in nothing but her undergarments and the veil, she dumped the darts from the iron bell robe onto the discarded dress. The Grand Concubine's eyes widened and filled with grudging admiration as she realized the implications. A similar sound came from Meng Feng's side of the room, causing her to address them with heightened respect.

"So he taught you how to get away from monsters," she said to Xing'er. "Pity his father never did the same for his mother. When the worst Third Branch monster came for her, she had nowhere to run and no means to get there."

Xing'er said nothing as she concentrated on getting dressed. As much as she wanted to learn about the fate of Yuwen Yue's mother, she knew that that information could wait for another day. After all, she'd succeeded in avenging the dead woman as well as her own sister, so completing that vengeance by escaping was paramount. She gathered the dress and darts in her arms and looked at the _tai fu ren_ in question.

"Put them back in the cloth bag," she said, pointing towards the bundle Xing'er had unwrapped what seemed like days ago. "You do the same," she ordered Meng Feng, who obeyed without question.

As they prepared to leave, Xing'er was at a loss as to what she should say before leaving. She settled for saying the second-most-important thing first.

"Tell the girls that Yuwen Huai saw us," she instructed. "Hopefully he won't remember anything that happened tonight if he survives—or if he does remember, it will hopefully be in bits and pieces. But there's the chance that he'll remember the veils, the dresses, our ways of moving..."

"Yuwen Huai is a cunning, observant man," the Grand Concubine said. "I'm not surprised that he saw through your costumes even in his drunken, drugged state. If he survives...But Yuwen Xi is dead, right?"

"Right," Xing'er confirmed. "One of the guards said so."

"Then this was all worthwhile no matter what else happens."

"Mm," Xing'er said, nodding once. "Oh, I almost forgot..."

She held out her hand, waiting patiently for the most important thing to be returned to her. The _tai fu ren_ reluctantly held out the small flute, which Xing'er eagerly took. This mission had gone on long enough, and it wasn't over yet. They still had to return to Qing Shan Yuan without being spotted, send the girls—who were dressed as she and Meng Feng and pretending to be sleeping in their beds—back to Hong Shan Yuan, and be ready to return to the scene of the crime themselves whenever a guard managed to break away and alert Yuwen Yue to the calamity that had unfolded.

"Thank you for your help, _tai fu ren_ ," Meng Feng said, clasping her hands and bowing.

"Thank me by making sure Yuwen Yue honors his end of the bargain."

Xing'er bristled, but ultimately gave the woman a stone-faced nod, straightened the iron bell she'd replaced in her hair, and strode through the servant's entrance without a backward glance. Never had she been so glad to turn her face towards home.

* * *

As Yuwen Yue strode towards the guest quarters where Xing'er and her sisters were staying, he couldn't help but think of that time months ago when he'd expected her to have run away with Yan Xun but had found her safely tucked in bed instead. Now he was faced with the prospect of another empty bed, but this time, his fears were of a different variety. He now knew that Xing'er loved him and wanted to marry him, but he understood that, given the nature of this mission, he might have literally lost her to another man tonight.

Servants and Yue guards were hurrying and scurrying around the entire courtyard, gathering up the necessary supplies to aid Hong Shan Yuan with triage, feeding, and security. Yue Qi had played his part admirably, putting just the right amount of concern on his face to convince anyone who was watching that he was shocked and dismayed at the events of the night.

Not that all of the worry had been an act; after all Jile Pavilion burning down hadn't been part of the plan. Everyone knew how quickly fire could spread and how essential proper preparedness was when facing such a dangerous situation. Yuwen Yue had sent Yue Qi off to rouse all of the former Afterlife Camp assassins—including, hopefully, Meng Feng—while telling his most faithful guard that he'd go wake Xing'er up so that she could come with them.

He pushed open her door without so much as a pause this time, thankful for his years of training that kept his legs from going wobbly with relief at the sight of his beloved sitting up in bed. She did an excellent job of presenting a picture of a disheveled woman who had just been suddenly awakened.

"What, Master? What? What's wrong?" she blurted, her eyes coming wide awake in an instant.

Her sisters had also awakened in startlement, making exclamations of their own.

"Yuwen Xi's been murdered by Yuwen Huai, who's currently unaccounted for," he said. "Jile Pavilion is on fire, and numerous guards are dead. We have to secure Qing Shan Yuan in case Yuwen Huai attacks here, and we have to secure Hong Shan Yuan before anyone else gets hurt."

Xing'er stared at him wide-eyed, allowing the edge of the blanket she'd been holding around her shoulders to slip slightly down her back. While he knew that her reason for doing so was to demonstrate to him and her sisters that she wasn't wearing anything but her undergarments and had thus not been out of her bed lately, his gaze couldn't help but be drawn to the bare flesh of his beloved.

"Get dressed, Xing'er," he said before shutting the door a bit more heavily than necessary—but not before seeing the slight knowing twinkle in her eyes.

He could hear her sisters babbling in his wake, but he put them out of his mind. The last thing he needed was to be distracted from completing his part of the mission. To all of his people who had gathered in the lantern light of the courtyard, he was the perfect picture of calm serenity. On the inside, however, he was still reeling from the immense amount of relief he'd felt the moment he'd realized that his beloved was safe. In that moment, he hadn't cared that the mission obviously hadn't gone as planned. All that mattered to him was that the woman he loved had returned to him unharmed.

 _Unharmed and able to flash her shoulders at you, Spymaster,_ part of him said. _Hurry up and get this matter resolved so that we can marry her and get on with our lives._

Yuwen Yue almost frowned in irritation at his inner voice before he caught himself. Instead, he focused on evaluating his people. His eyes quickly found Meng Feng in the group of Afterlife Camp assassins, and he knew another moment of relief. No matter what else happened tonight, at least his people had survived.

Familiar footsteps behind him caused him to turn around and gaze at his beloved. She was dressed in a set of simple dark blue robes that he'd had made for her, Can Hong Jian clutched in her hand and her feather blade ring in its proper place. Her small slingshot was also visible on her wrist, and he knew that she'd likely tucked away several knives on her person.

Instead of standing with the servant girls or Yue guards, Xing'er strode through the crowd and took her rightful place at his side. While she was obviously deferring to him as the leader, her demeanor was not one of submission or servitude. She had, apparently, decided to fully embrace her role as Xing'er; that thought made Yuwen Yue regret that they had a mission to complete and that he couldn't express his appreciation for her actions in a more personal manner than the brief potent look he gave her.

His beloved's gaze caressed him for a moment as well before deliberately looking in a different direction. She apparently found him as distracting as he found her but was doing her best to concentrate on the job at hand. He did the same as he called his people to order, gave them an official overview of the situation, and handed out some assignments beforehand. Yuwen Yue knew that he wouldn't be able to delegate some tasks until he'd evaluated the situation, but he knew that they would need plenty of food and medicine without knowing how dire the situation was at Hong Shan Yuan.

Without wasting any more time, he and his people set out from Qing Shan Yuan, leaving behind only enough men to guard the courtyard and enough servants to carry out their necessary domestic tasks. Everyone else moved as quickly towards Hong Shan Yuan as they were able, obviously being spurred on by the ominous glow of what must have been Jile Pavilion burning in the near distance.

The guards standing at Hong Shan Yuan's gate practically blubbered in gratitude and relief as they saw Yuwen Yue and a small army of people approaching them out of the darkness. They babbled about hearing terrible noises inside and wanting to see what was going on but knowing that they couldn't leave their posts no matter what because they might get attacked and then Hong Shan Yuan would fall and...Yuwen Yue immediately relieved them of their posts, appointing several of his own guards to take their places. The spymaster didn't object as the anxious guards joined his own party since he understood their desire to check on their comrades.

As they moved quickly through the first courtyard and into the main one beyond, even Yuwen Yue had to stop and take stock of the chaos unfolding before him. Jile Pavilion was completely engulfed in flames, and Yuwen Huai's rooms were also on fire. Corpses littered the ground around them, clusters of fallen bodies here and there attesting to their feeble attempts at fighting a master swordsman. A few servants were trying to at least contain the fires, but most of the personnel of Hong Shan Yuan were nowhere to be seen. Yuwen Yue hoped they had survived the night.

Keeping his face impassive, he delegated a variety of necessary assignments to his servants and soldiers. Some he sent towards the kitchens to check on the servants there; others got sent to the barracks in search of fresh pairs of hands. He ordered some of his men to set up a triage center to tend to the wounded so that they would be able to save as many as they could. The bulk of the rest got sent to try to contain the fires that were currently cheerfully destroying both Jile Pavilion and Yuwen Huai's rooms. Yuwen Yue wouldn't lament the loss of either building.

After he'd dealt with these basic needs, he addressed the smaller group still around him. These were his seasoned house guards and Afterlife Camp assassins that he knew could at least stand a chance against Yuwen Huai if they were to find him conscious enough to put up a fight. Xing'er was also present, currently standing alertly at his side as he assigned groups of fighters areas to canvas for his missing cousin.

He sent her a questioning glance, unsure of whether she'd understand what he was asking her. With a subtlety that made him proud, she raised the hilt of Can Hong Jian to her lips and quickly mimed playing a flute. Yuwen Yue didn't acknowledge her movements, not wanting to draw attention to them. Still, he knew that he needed to set off towards the Grand Concubine's building with Yue Qi, assuming that that was the last place that Xing'er had seen Yuwen Huai. The implications of her possessing that knowledge made his blood run cold, but he allowed none of those feelings to cross his face.

As the spies slunk stealthily throughout the darkened pathways of Hong Shan Yuan, Yuwen Yue crept towards the _tai fu ren's_ prison in what he hoped looked like a random approach. The open door caught his attention, giving him an excuse to draw attention to it. He, Yue Qi, and an Afterlife Camp assassin approached the entrance with care, trying to extend their senses into the building to determine the level of danger.

Yuwen Yue entered first, the smells of metal and blood assaulting his sensitive nose immediately. His eyes were drawn to the bloody body lying roughly a third of the way into the spider's nest. He could detect no movement, so for all he knew, his cousin was dead. Part of him wanted to leave the man there and let someone else risk his life to pull him out, but Yuwen Yue knew that he couldn't do so for multiple reasons.

 _The most important of which is the metal spike lying near the wall almost all the way through this trap,_ he admitted. _Xing'er and Meng Feng must've missed it as they were coming through here. Not that I can blame them; I'm not even sure that I could…_

Rather than dwelling on pointless hypotheticals, Yuwen Yue ordered Yue Qi and the Afterlife Camp fighter to retrieve Yuwen Huai. Their faces paled, and he didn't feel guilty at all about waiting a few moments before explaining that he would wade into the trap himself and deflect all of the darts away from him. Nobody looked thrilled about the plan; at least Xing'er wasn't here to see this and worry about him—or insist on doing the job herself.

Without wasting any more time, he walked calmly into the spider's nest, deflecting the darts by instinctive rote with Po Yue Jian. He was aware of the two men behind him gingerly making their own ways into the trap, so he widened his defensive space to include them. Finally, he reached Yuwen Huai and moved beyond him, doing his best to keep the bulk of the darts away from his people. Some, of course, still got through, but their training and skills were top-notch and they were able to reach the wounded man.

Dragging, grunting, and groaning reached his ears, and he could hear his cousin's slurred voice in the midst of the complaining. He could also hear Yue Qi accidentally dropping Yuwen Huai a few times—purely in the interest of dodging the darts, of course. Yuwen Yue hoped his guard didn't do any permanent damage to his cousin or else the spymaster knew he'd be the one to answer for it.

Since Yuwen Yue had already reached the halfway point in the spider's nest, he figured that he may as well check on the _tai fu ren_. After all, going back the way he came would be just as difficult as going forward, and he'd be expected to explore this mysterious building to check for survivors. After dodging the rest of the darts with ease, he reached the door, which he twisted open.

The Grand Concubine's eyes widened as she saw him enter, and the two girls tending to her also looked at him in surprise. He was thankful that everyone was here and accounted for; he knew that the girls had been in danger of being caught while returning here. Yuwen Yue wanted to be able to recount this encounter honestly for the emperor and the courts when the time came, so he acted as if he didn't know the _tai fu ren_. She seemed to be amused at his subterfuge, but humored him in his exchange of introductions.

"I take it that that dragging sound I heard was you removing Yuwen Huai from the hallway?"

"Yes, _tai fu ren_ ," he said, inclining his head. "I'm afraid he's sustained serious injuries and is in need of immediate care."

"Pity."

"Please don't worry; he's a strong man and may yet pull through."

"Pity."

Yuwen Yue couldn't help but give the Grand Concubine a smirk at her insensitivity. He knew there was no love lost between this woman and any man from the Third Branch, so he wasn't surprised by her reaction.

"You seem safe here, so you need to remain here for the time being."

She looked meaningfully down at her crippled legs and gave him a look that reminded him eerily of his grandfather. He almost squirmed before he caught himself, unwilling to give the woman the satisfaction.

"In a few days, you can decide whether you want to stay here or whether you want to move to Qing Shan Yuan where, I assure you, you would be most welcome."

"I already know where I want to go," she said, giving him a faux-innocent look that brought his beloved to mind.

"Qing Shan Yuan has a lovely dower house-"

"I want to move into the _da fu ren's_ quarters, of course," she said, looking up at him with a spark of mischief in her eyes. "After all, you're not going to be needing them any time soon, are you?"

He stared at her in shock for a few moments before realizing that she was simply trying to make a bit of innocent trouble for him and Xing'er. That impish look she was now giving him helped him to make his decision.

"That would be agreeable, _tai fu ren_ ," he said, bowing to her and smirking inwardly at her own surprise at his ready capitulation. "As you said, I won't be needing those rooms for awhile yet. By time I do need them, I'm sure we can come to some other agreement."

"You Yuwen men always have believed yourselves to be more persuasive than you actually are."

"I'm glad we have that settled," Yuwen Yue said. "Now if you'll excuse me..."

"What else has happened, Yue'er?" she asked in a softer voice.

"Yuwen Xi is dead. Jile Pavilion is on fire. Many guards have been killed. Zhu Shun is presumed dead, but I don't know for sure. My people are sweeping the courtyard for threats and survivors. I'll send someone to the back entrance with some food whenever we have some on hand."

"Don't bother, Yue'er," she said. "After all, I'm just a dead woman walking."

"Not anymore," he said before going out the way he came. The spider's nest was a mere inconvenience that barely slowed him down.

* * *

Xing'er had headed off in a different direction from Yuwen Yue, not wanting to be seen anywhere near the Grand Concubine's building. After completing a cursory sweep of her designated area, she led the people with her to the kitchens to make sure that everything was under control there. She also liked guarding the cooking area because doing so offered her a clear view of Jile Pavilion burning while giving her an excuse to not help to put the fire out. As far as she was concerned, all of Hong Shan Yuan could burn to the ground and she wouldn't shed a tear.

After all, they had evacuated all of the buildings that could possibly catch fire, so nobody was going to be caught unawares. There were also plenty of people surrounding the flaming buildings, so she wouldn't have been able to contribute much anyway. Not that she was contributing much here; all of the kitchen staff was intact, having been smart enough to run away once they'd figured out what was going on. They and some of the Qing Shan Yuan staff had breakfast preparations running smoothly and would likely be ready to feed everyone when the time to eat arrived.

She couldn't help but smile as she saw Xiao Qi and Xiao Ba in the midst of the kitchen staff, both giving and taking orders in the effort to make enough hot food and drink for everyone. Nobody—including her sisters—cared that the two girls were free while the others were slaves; all anyone cared about was coming together to do an essential job.

The little slave girl who had carried Yuwen Huai's wine to his rooms was also there, scurrying around while trying to stay invisible. She looked scared, and Xing'er wondered if her fear stemmed from the possibility of being outed as the one who had last given something to her master. If she were questioned, what answers would she give? Would she admit to having seen the two veiled maids of the Grand Concubine not far from Yuwen Huai's rooms? Would she somehow figure out that those two girls had not been what they seemed? If she drew the right conclusions, would she tell someone or would she keep the information to herself?

Xing'er scowled as she remembered one of the main reasons she tried to avoid inactivity: Doing nothing invariably led to thinking and introspection, which would drive her crazy if she indulged in it too much. Her eyes scanned the area, looking for trouble but knowing she'd find none. After all, since she'd helped to orchestrate the trouble in the first place, she was fairly certain that it had run its course already.

 _Maybe I could head back over to the triage area and see if Yuwen Yue's there,_ she mused as she watched the cooks moving with lightning speed in the dim light. _There were already many people there when I passed them last, but if I'm going to do nothing, I can at least do nothing with Yuwen Yue._

A female figure faltered in the glow of Jile Pavilion, catching Xing'er's eye due to its familiarity. Xing'er frowned, wondering how Meng Feng had gotten roped into fire line duty. She knew the woman was surely as tired as Xing'er herself was, and she obviously needed a break. Xing'er straightened up as she prepared to take Meng Feng's place before realizing that the assassin wouldn't want to admit to any form of weakness in front of her peers any more than she herself would.

She glanced around and noticed that the men were looking at her expectantly for some reason. They'd never expected her to provide them with leadership before, so why would they now? What had changed?

An image from earlier that night came to her, and she remembered striding up to Yuwen Yue and taking her place at his side. She recalled the approving, possessive look he'd given her and realized that everyone from the servants to the house guards had seen it as well. The bolt of realization that hit her caused her eyes to widen.

 _They already consider me to be Yuwen Yue's wife—or at least his partner. They see me as someone who is both entitled to and capable of leading them. Do I? Can I? Should I?_

Xing'er mentally shrugged as she strode towards the largest group of guards. She'd never cared about qualifications and designations before, so why should she start now? If they needed someone to tell them the obvious, then she'd do the job regardless of why they decided to obey.

"We need to take our shift at Jile Pavilion," she said to the mixed group. "They need to take a break and get something to eat; we need to do something productive. Let's go."

A bit of good-natured grumbling followed in her wake as she turned around and started walking towards Jile Pavilion, but most of the men seemed as eager to get moving as she was. Perhaps the blue tinge of the coming dawn was making them feel as if this night would finally end if they worked hard enough. Xing'er noted with satisfaction that the bucket-wielders had given up on saving either building and were now working to keep the fire from spreading.

"It's our turn to work over here," Xing'er said to Meng Feng, who was sporting multiple soot smudges on her face. "You can guard the kitchens—which should have some food and drink ready by time you get over there."

"That's not necessary, Xing'er," Meng Feng said, handing off another bucket to the next person in line as it came to her. "We're capable of finishing this job."

"Of course you are," Xing'er said, mentally rolling her eyes while admitting her hypocrisy for doing so. "But we're bored and tired of standing around while you guys look like you could use some boredom. We're ready to take our turn and do our fair share."

The men who had followed her voiced their agreement, and Meng Feng conceded gracefully, thanking them and ordering her own people to go over to the kitchens. Xing'er organized everyone around the two burning buildings, and they set about the arduous task of containing the fire so it could do no further harm. Hefting buckets, stamping out embers, and watching rooftops for any sign of smoke or flames became Xing'er's life for a time, leaving no room for pointless introspection or curiosity about Yuwen Yue's whereabouts.

As the early-morning sun began to brighten, the fires finally began to burn themselves out to the degree that they felt that they could relax a bit. They were still emptying buckets of water at a fast pace, but Xing'er could tell that no other buildings in Hong Shan Yuan were in danger. Not that she would've minded more of this hated place catching on fire, but she would've been loathe to have had to put those fires out, too.

A masculine hand placed over hers halted her progress of slinging yet another bucket-full of water at the smoldering wreckage of Yuwen Huai's former abode. She looked up in question into the gaze of her beloved, noting grumpily how immaculate and handsome he managed to look while she knew how much she resembled an ash heap. He gently took the bucket from her and emptied it in its proper place before placing it decisively on the ground.

"The next shift is ready to begin," he said, turning his head towards a group of approaching Hong Shan Yuan servants. "It's time for us to go home, Xing'er."

His face and voice gave little away, but she thought she saw approval sparkling in his eyes. She definitely heard approval in the group around them as they gladly surrendered their buckets to the new people and headed off towards the kitchens.

"Are we going to the kitchens, too, Young Master Yue?" she asked. "They should have enough food prepared by now to feed our shift."

"Actually, Xing'er, I've ordered our own cooks to have food ready for us by time we get back to Qing Shan Yuan—unless you actually want to stay here, of course, which can be arranged."

"Of course I don't want to stay," Xing'er said, absently rubbing at a soot smudge on her face. "I want to go home with you."

Her beloved's hand lifted to her face and softly caressed it, his thumb removing some of the ash coating her skin. He didn't seem concerned that practically all of Qing Shan Yuan and Hong Shan Yuan were watching them, and she couldn't make herself care, either. Given the nature of the night they'd had, nothing could make her regret Yuwen Yue's touch.

"Come, Xing'er," he said, lowering his hand and putting his mask back in place. "We have much to talk about—after we eat, of course. I'll even pretend to let you win our fight over the last piece of meat."

"I'll even pretend to let you think you let me win," Xing'er said, giving the man she loved a small smile.

They continued to banter as they walked away from the ruins of the homes of two evil men who had caused them such grief. Xing'er wanted to ask Yuwen Yue about Yuwen Huai, Zhu Shun, and the others who had been injured, but she could sense that he didn't want to talk about anything but trivial matters at the moment. Not that she could blame him; all she wanted was a warm bath, a warm meal, and time alone with her beloved. Everything else could wait awhile.

* * *

AN: I had much more fun writing the Grand Concubine than I anticipated, so I expect her to show up a time or two in the future. The next couple of weeks are going to be devoted to the fallout of this mission, so we're going to get the chance to catch up with some familiar faces. The emperor's reaction in particular to this incident is going to shape the course of this story immensely; I'm looking forward to getting into his head at some point and deciphering him.

Music Rec: "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark" by Fallout Boy. Of course, I prefer cover versions (which shouldn't surprise anyone since fanfic is more or less covering canon works anyway). Favorite female vocalist cover: Terabrite. Favorite male vocalist cover: King the Kid. Favorite a capella cover/mashup: OneVoice (The song is a mashup of "My Songs Know What You Did in the Dark" and "Radioactive".)


	7. Chapter 7

AN: I could claim that I took an Easter break, but the truth is that I needed a bit more time to plot the direction of the story. As y'all might imagine, everything in the story I'd written before was leading up to the events of the last chapter. Now I have to deal with the fallout, and that part of the story was always more foggy than the events leading up to XingYue's revenge. So now we have 3-4 chapters dealing with the fallout as well as getting our large amount of moving parts in position to move when necessary. I also ended up getting hit with a piece of fridge logic (for those unfamiliar with the term, check out tvtropes dot com for an explanation) that led to the creation of a storyline involving YWY's father that I'll be starting next week, so stay tuned for that.

Almost every chapter features at least a character or two who surprise me, and this week's award goes to Xiao Ce and Xia Chong. I always knew that those two could be amazing together, but once I settled down into the rhythm of writing a Xia Chong who'd gotten to know the real Xiao Ce and who isn't afraid for her life every day...man, I can't wait to unfold their relationship and actually make Xiao Ce happy for a change. Sparks will, of course, fly when he meets Xing'er, but will they fly for the same reasons as in canon?

* * *

While kneeling before the emperor in his throne room had never been Yuwen Yue's favorite activity, he'd always taken each opportunity presented to him as a chance to increase his capacity for patience. Before Xing'er had confessed her feelings for him, he'd always entered a semi-meditative state that had allowed him to work on his inner balance and harmony. But now…

Yuwen Yue watched the emperor writing something on a piece of paper, and he knew that the man would likely remember several immensely important activities that he had to complete before getting around to talking to the kneeling spymaster. He couldn't bring himself to be irritated with the man, however, since this bit of free time was giving him the opportunity to relive his debriefing with Xing'er.

He'd taken her into the Eyes of God stronghold, using the excuse that he hadn't wanted anyone to overhear their conversation. Of course, he hadn't been lying, but Xing'er hadn't grasped his intentions during their silent walk across the stepping stones and into the secret area beyond. She'd kept her own counsel during the short walk there and had looked at him expectantly as he'd triggered the secret entrance and walked through it.

After he'd closed the door behind him, he'd taken a few steps inside before turning around and facing his beloved. Xing'er had assumed that he'd wanted to hear about the mission, so she'd opened her mouth to tell him all of the details. He'd never given her the chance, sweeping her into his arms and kissing her deeply before she'd said a single word.

All of the doubts, fears, and worries that had assailed him during the mission had poured out of him in that passionate embrace. No falling sand had been there to torment him, and even if it had, it wouldn't have been able to stop him from expressing his love and gratitude to his woman.

Although Xing'er had been taken aback by his kiss, she had, in typical Xing'er fashion, adapted quickly and enthusiastically to the situation. Her lips had expressed her own pent-up emotions and thankfulness to be back in his arms. She'd pulled back first, however, and had attempted to speak about the mission.

"Our infiltration of Hong Shan Yuan went-"

He'd kissed her again, not caring about hearing the details at that moment. His lack of interest had shocked him as he'd never experienced such a feeling before. The spymaster had long known the value of debriefing agents as soon as possible after a mission in order to get the maximum amount of accurate information from them while it was still fresh in their minds.

"We met with the Grand Concubine, and she said-"

Yuwen Yue certainly hadn't wanted to talk about anything the _tai fu ren_ might've said to Xing'er, so he'd cut his beloved off again in what had rapidly become his favorite method of doing so.

"Yuwen Yue! You-! Don't you want to hear about the mission?"

As an answer, he'd brought his lips back down on hers. She hadn't protested.

"Thank you, X'er," he'd whispered before giving her a final, quick kiss.

"For what?" she'd answered in a gratifying daze. "For the kisses?"

Yuwen Yue had smirked at his beloved in self-satisfaction.

"That, too, X'er."

"Aren't you going to tell me why you're thanking me, Yuwen Yue?"

He'd turned around and walked away, leading Xing'er to his desk area. While the man he'd been wouldn't have felt comfortable expressing his feelings so plainly, this new man he'd gradually been becoming…

"Thank you for surviving, X'er," he'd said, pulling her to him and holding her close. "Thank you for taking vengeance for all of us in such a fitting way. Thank you for coming back to me."

Xing'er had stared up at him wide-eyed, clearly at a loss as to what to say in return. He felt confident that, in time, his beloved would learn how to reciprocate such words, but he couldn't complain about the way she'd chosen to respond to him this time.

Tears misting her eyes, she'd taken the small flute from her robes and had played the first song he'd taught her. He'd sat down on the mat in front of his desk and had pulled her gently into his lap, holding her close and savoring the way she'd felt in his arms. He'd felt every indrawn breath, every gradual exhalation, and every movement of her arms and hands.

Only then had they gotten around to the debriefing, which had been conducted in a professional manner worthy of the leader of the Eyes of God.

 _Oh, of course, my dear spymaster,_ his snide inner voice pretended to agree. _What could be more professional than debriefing your fiance while cuddling_ _with_ _her and stealing a couple of kisses?_

 _We were not cuddling,_ Yuwen Yue mentally retorted _. And I didn't steal those kisses since you can't steal something that was given willingly._

 _Did I say there was anything wrong with cuddling? There's nothing wrong with cuddling—which is fortunate since you were definitely cuddling with Xing'er. When you can conduct business while cuddling with the woman you love, why would you ever conduct business any other way? Who are you to tell her not to recount the details of her deception of Yuwen Huai while resting her head on your chest and looking up at you with love and adoration?_

Yuwen Yue gave up on the prospect of arguing with himself—especially since he realized that the emperor's hands had stilled. He kept his eyes downcast, but his thoughts were already turned towards the task of answering the questions he'd been preparing for since he'd first decided to eliminate Yuwen Xi.

The spymaster knew that he wouldn't let the emperor get the better of him because too much was at stake. Qing Shan Yuan was counting on him. The Eyes of God were counting on him. Xing'er was counting on him. He vowed that he wouldn't let them down.

* * *

The emperor surreptitiously studied the man kneeling before him, knowing that his physically submissive position would likely not be duplicated mentally. Yuwen Yue was a mysterious man who kept his true thoughts and emotions locked deep inside away from prying eyes and enemies. He had never been overtly disloyal to the emperor or Wei, but he also had not been willing to use the remnants of the Eyes of God to find incriminating information about the Yan family.

 _How can I trust a man who's not even perceptive enough to discern the traitorous ways of his blood brother's family? Is it possible that the emotionless spymaster actually let sentiment get in the way like his grandfather did years ago? An enigma, indeed._

He knew that Yuwen Yue assumed that he was simply trying to remind the young man of his subordinate position, but the honest truth was that the emperor didn't know what to make of the spymaster. The palace officials had, of course, conducted their own cursory investigation into the matter of Yuwen Xi's murder at the hands of his grandson. Their conclusions had matched Yuwen Yue's assertions and they could find no evidence that the spymaster had been involved in the former official's job in any way. And yet…

The emperor knew himself to be a suspicious man, but he attributed his current status as ruler of Wei to his cautious, vigilant nature. He was always looking out for threats from within and without, and he always sought to maintain balance between his most powerful subjects. The man kneeling before him was both powerful and potentially threatening—especially in light of recent circumstances.

 _Whether or not he was involved in Yuwen Xi's murder, he's now in sole command of the Yuwen family holdings. He has no patriarch to rein him in. He has no brother to compete against for control over the Eyes of God or domestic assets. He's also recently added a considerable number of men—assassins, no less—to his personal forces. Is he trying to take over my throne? Is he simply looking to gain more power and influence in our society? Is some other motive present?_

"So Yuwen Huai still lives?" the emperor said suddenly in an attempt to startle the spymaster.

"Yes, Your Majesty," Yuwen Yue said, clasping his hands out in front of him and bowing his head, not missing a beat.

The emperor waited a few seconds, but the man before him was not forthcoming. Surely Yuwen Yue knew that the emperor desired an account of Yuwen Huai's injuries, but since he had not asked for more information, he couldn't be overtly upset at the man for not giving them.

"How long before he can be transferred to the prison?"

"A day or two at least, Your Majesty," Yuwen Yue said, inclining his head again. "His injuries were deep and severe, and being moved right now would greatly decrease his chances of survival."

"Which would be beneficial for you, would it not, Yuwen Yue?"

"In some ways, yes; in other ways, no."

"That's a noncommittal answer."

"It's an answer that acknowledges the complexity of the situation, Your Majesty."

"Oh?"

"While Yuwen Huai and I have been rivals our entire lives, we've also pushed one another to be better, stronger, more cunning. He's shouldered many responsibilities over the years which will fall to me should he die. Most importantly, he's still my brother no matter what he's done."

"Those are noble sentiments, Yuwen Yue," the emperor said, looking the young man in the eye. "I doubt he would share them were he in your current position."

"Maybe that's why I'm in my current position and he's in his, Your Majesty."

"Oh? Are you admitting to something, Yuwen Yue?"

"Not at all, Your Majesty," he said, bowing again. "I'm merely pointing out that actions and thoughts have consequences, some of which can be dire."

"I see. And you feel that Yuwen Huai is currently hovering just outside of the underworld because of his own actions?"

"Of course, Your Majesty. After all, he's the one who chose to get drunk in that situation."

"Are you sure that he was only drunk, Yuwen Yue?"

For the first time that afternoon, the emperor noted a trace of wariness in the spymaster's bearing. He immediately straightened, his gaze sharpening on the man kneeling before his throne.

"I hesitated to bring this matter to Your Majesty's attention because I have so little evidence of it," Yuwen Yue began, pulling a small, blackened jar from his robes. "As you know, Yuwen Huai's residence was completely destroyed as a result of the fire he set in Jile Pavilion."

"Which is convenient, isn't it?"

"Not in terms of investigation, Your Majesty."

"Of course. What did you find?"

"This jar was found in the wreckage of Yuwen Huai's room," he said, bowing and holding it out to the waiting eunuch, who took it and brought it to the emperor.

He held the jar closer to his face so he could see it better, but it still just looked like an ordinary pill jar. Opening the jar proved unhelpful as it was empty, and, at least to his senses, smelled only of smoke and ash.

"I take it you can smell something that nobody else can."

"Your servant has been trained from boyhood to detect all sorts of scents, Your Majesty," he said. "While the jar is empty, I can barely pick up the lingering odor of a concentrated form of the drug that Yuwen Xi used to make his blood incense."

"Oh?" the emperor asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Yes, Your Majesty. You can understand why I was reluctant to bring this to your attention."

"Because the only evidence you have is a ruined jar with a faint scent that only you can smell and because his drug use reflects badly on both your brother and your family as a whole."

"As you say, Your Majesty."

"Have you ruled out foul play?"

"Can you ever rule out foul play, Your Majesty—especially when a Yuwen is involved?"

"Mm," the emperor replied, a knowing look on his face. "Your family is skilled in a variety of areas—not the least of which is making enemies."

"And poison detection," Yuwen Yue replied. "Yuwen Huai not noticing the presence of this drug in his food or drink would be most uncharacteristic of him."

"Even if he were already very drunk?"

"The Hong Shan Yuan servants admitted that Yuwen Huai's drunkenness almost always coincided with his grandfather's...episodes. It's possible that someone knew of that and slipped him something in his wine—or even directly into his mouth if he were already passed out."

"I take it that all of your people's whereabouts that night are accounted for."

"As well as they can be, Your Majesty. When I called everyone to the Qing Shan Yuan main courtyard after the Hong Shan Yuan guard told my men what had happened, all were present and accounted for as far as I could tell. Nobody in either courtyard reported seeing anyone from Qing Shan Yuan leaving or returning."

"Not even Xing'er?"

Yuwen Yue's lips twitched in a manner that almost suggested a smile.

"I see my former maid's reputation precedes her, Your Majesty."

"Her enmity with the Third Branch of your family is well-known."

"Considering that they murdered two of her siblings after trying to kill her on the hunting grounds, I can't blame her for her hatred. However, my thoughts that night were similar to yours now, Your Majesty, so I went immediately to her chamber after hearing the news."

"I'm assuming she was where she was supposed to be or you would've already said otherwise."

"Indeed, Your Majesty," he said, clasping his hands and bowing his head. "She was in bed and appeared to have been awakened from her peaceful slumber only when I suddenly opened the door. Xing'er even called me Master instinctively, which is something she hasn't done for weeks. Her sisters assured me that Xing'er had been in bed when they'd fallen asleep and that they hadn't heard her leave the room at any point."

The emperor didn't even deign to comment on the value of such testimony. Yuwen Yue's eyes warmed a bit with humor.

"I realize that their testimony is less reliable than would be desirable, but it still stands, Your Majesty."

"Especially since, conveniently, nobody saw her going from or coming back to Qing Shan Yuan."

"Nobody has admitted to having seen anything unusual that night in either courtyard."

"Until your brother went crazy and murdered his grandfather, you mean."

Yuwen Yue merely dipped his head again in response.

"My own investigators will, of course, continue to look into this matter."

"Of course, Your Majesty," Yuwen Yue replied. "I would expect nothing less. After all, Yuwen Xi was once a member of this court, and Yuwen Huai has also served Wei in many capacities. As family, I am too close to this situation to investigate it in a completely professional manner. Any fresh evidence turned up by your investigators would be welcome."

 _I'm never going to catch this man unawares,_ he thought in exasperation. _He's always going to have a ready answer to my questions and an excuse for any potentially incriminating circumstance—even if said excuse is readily admitting the possibility of his own guilt!_

"Keep my men informed on the progress of your investigation," the emperor said, picking up his brush pen and bringing another piece of paper before himself. "Also have Yuwen Huai moved to the prison as soon as he'll be able to survive there. I need to make an example out of him so that no other family patriarchs get _accidentally_ murdered by their sons or grandsons."

"Your servant Yuwen Yue will obey, Your Majesty," the spymaster said, kowtowing before the emperor.

"You may leave," the emperor said, dipping his pen in the ink and bringing it to the paper. He didn't bother to watch the man stand up and depart in the traditional way.

After Yuwen Yue's footsteps had faded away, the emperor placed his brush in its stand and looked at his eunuch. The man had served him for years, so he rightfully took the glance as an invitation to offer his opinion.

"He's hiding something, Your Majesty," the eunuch said.

The emperor waited a few moments to see if the eunuch would elaborate, but he didn't. He heaved a mental sigh at having to ask yet another question he shouldn't have needed to voice.

"What's he hiding? Something about the investigation? The murder? Xing'er?"

"I couldn't say, Your Majesty, but he was definitely nervous before you addressed him. He did an excellent job of trying to hide his feelings..."

"...but you've watched a lot of nobles kneel before me."

"As you say, Your Majesty," the eunuch said, inclining his head in deference.

"He could've been nervous about the welfare of his cousin."

The expression on the eunuch's face made the nonsensical statement worthwhile.

"I would be more inclined to believe that he knows something about the crime that he's not saying, Your Majesty."

"Mm," the emperor agreed. "Everyone knows that the Third Branch of the Yuwen family has tried to kill the First Branch and take control over the Eyes of God many times, so I couldn't blame Yuwen Yue for finally getting tired of the assassination attempts."

"The evidence and alibis are as unassailable as they are improvable, Your Majesty," the eunuch replied. "Xing'er was never seen leaving Qing Shan Yuan or entering Hong Shan Yuan, but she wasn't seen at the time of the crime, either. All of the Afterlife Camp assassins were accounted for—after the crime had been committed."

"Nobody saw anything, so nothing happened," the emperor agreed. "Jile Pavilion and Yuwen Huai's residence burned to the ground, so only damaged evidence can be collected."

The eunuch merely inclined his headwhile electing to stay silent. The emperor mimicked him for a few moments, lost in thought.

"I don't care about Yuwen Huai or Yuwen Xi personally," the emperor admitted. "I was always willing to take advantage of Yuwen Huai's ruthlessness and cunning, but I always figured that Yuwen Yue would get the better of him one day. The trouble is..."

"The trouble is that now Yuwen Yue has no one to keep him in check, Your Majesty."

Sometimes the emperor wondered if his favorite eunuch could read his mind.

"Mm," he replied, an idea beginning to coalesce in his mind. "I'm not going to be able to find out anything relevant by approaching this situation in the usual way. Nobody is going to tell a palace official what we need to know. Some might, however, be inclined to trust a...palace unofficial, so to speak."

His eunuch eyed him in confusion for a moment, thankfully affirming to the emperor that the man couldn't, in fact, read his mind. Understanding filled his gaze, however, followed by doubt.

"Are you sure that the young prince is ready to undertake such a mission, Your Majesty?"

"If he's not ready now, when will he be ready? In these troubling times, I need for him to step up and grow up. How will he do these things if I don't give him the opportunity to learn?"

"Would he really betray Yuwen Yue, Your Majesty? I know Prince Song'er is fond of him."

The emperor gave his eunuch an appraising look.

"I'll imply to Yu'er that he'll be rewarded for good results. He thinks I don't know about his feelings for Yuwen Yue's former bedchamber maid, but he doesn't give my spies enough credit."

"Not that I would ever presume to question Your Majesty, but would you really allow…?"

"Of course not," the emperor said. "How could I allow my royal son to marry another man's bedchamber maid? No, he will never have Xing'er as a wife or a concubine. If my spies are right, then she'd never want to marry him anyway since she already has feelings for Yuwen Yue. But if I tell Yu'er that Yuwen Yue has feelings for her, imply that Yuwen Yue might be a traitor to Wei, and suggest that, were he to find the right information..."

The eunuch bowed in acknowledgment.

"Summon my son to me," he ordered the eunuch, who observed the proper courtesies before carrying out the emperor's order.

* * *

Yuan Song's head was spinning as he rode out of Chang'an. For all that he'd disagreed with his father's conclusions about Yan Xun's family, he'd always loved and revered the man himself. This afternoon, however, his father had shown a side of himself that Yuan Song had never seen before—one he could've gone his entire life without seeing. While he knew that difficult decisions and tough tasks were necessary to run a kingdom, what his father had asked him to do…

His father seemed to genuinely suspect Yuwen Yue of being involved in Yuwen Xi's death even though Yuwen Huai was clearly the guilty party. He'd also said that he suspected Yuwen Yue of disloyalty to Wei—especially in regards to the Yan family. His father had commanded Yuan Song to do his best to dig up incriminating information on Yuwen Yue and the people of Qing Shan Yuan by using his charm and openness to put people at ease. Yuan Song knew that he'd been unable to hide his shock and dismay at his father's orders, and he understood that he was going to have to get better at doing so going forward.

 _For I must go forward, one way or another,_ Yuan Song admitted as he rode further out of town. _My mother's lecture after Yan Xun's tragedy clarified for both Chun'er and I that our days of being able to question our father_ _we_ _re at an end—if they ever really existed in the first place. No, I must do better at concealing my true feelings because…_

Xing'er's smiling face formed in his mind, but the image was replaced by her being executed on Jiuyou Platform—or, perhaps, watching Yuwen Yue meet such a fate. Yuan Song knew that, if Yuwen Yue were involved in his grandfather's murder, then Xing'er had likely had a role to play in it as well. Her hatred of the Third Branch of the Yuwen family was well-known; surely his father had been aware of that fact when he'd given him this assignment.

 _Perhaps this is a test of loyalty, but not just for Yuwen Yue. Perhaps he's testing my loyalty, too._

The thought chilled Yuan Song all the way through as he knew that he could never do anything to endanger the woman he loved. Meng Feng's face flashed through his mind before he could stop it, and he was forced to admit to himself that he'd grown closer to the woman over the past few weeks than he'd ever expected. He wasn't willing to say he loved her, of course; those feelings were reserved for Xing'er alone. However, he could say that, as her friend, he didn't want to see her get hurt—and she could as a result of this investigation because he knew that she would likely have been willing to do anything to help the man who'd given her a new life.

He considered urging his horse to ride faster, but for the first time he could remember, he wasn't eager to reach Qing Shan Yuan. His father had ruined the experience for him forever, reducing the time he spent with his friends—and, he hoped, his future wife—to political deception. How was he supposed to hide his father's mission from them? Surely they'd notice if he acted abnormally; he was, after all, a terrible liar.

 _Well, then, I'll have to do my best not to lie. After all, I do enjoy going out there and spending time with them, and I don't really want to learn anything damning. And yet I know I'll have to give my father something to show for my efforts or else…_

His mind turned to the other part of his father's orders—perhaps the part that bothered him the most. His father had intimated that Xing'er cared for Yuwen Yue and that, were he to find evidence of wrong-doing on his friend's part, Yuan Song would be rewarded with Xing'er's hand. Yuan Song didn't know what shook him the most: that his father had made the offer in the first place or that he himself had actually considered accepting it.

The realization that he would willingly betray one of the few men he truly considered a friend—not to mention the woman he loved—appalled him. After all, if he truly loved Xing'er—and he knew he did—then how could he gain her as his wife by turning in the man she loved for a crime that he honestly wouldn't blame him for committing?

 _Of course, if I find evidence of guilt or betrayal, then I wouldn't be lying,_ he rationalized. _I mean, if Yuwen Yue is guilty…_

 _Then Xing'er is likely guilty, too,_ his mind argued. _And Meng Feng as well. Yuwen Yue's alibi in regards to Yuwen Xi's death is indisputable. Theirs…_

Yuan Song began the formulate the bare bones of a plan. He knew that he was involved in a dangerous game whether he turned up any incriminating information or not. His father was not a man to be trifled with, but neither was Yuwen Yue.

 _Not to mention that Xing'er would kill me slowly and horribly if I did something that led to Yuwen Yue's death,_ he thought, shivering again. _Whether she's in love with him or not, she cares about him enough that she'd never forgive me. Why my father thinks she would, I don't kn…_

 _Do you really think your father hasn't heard about Xing'er's temperament? a_ voice in his head asked. _More to the point, do you really think that your father would allow his son to marry another man's former bedchamber maid?_

His mother's voice rang in his ears, reminding him of the cost of his lifestyle and his obligations as the son of an emperor. Yuan Song knew exactly what his mother would say if he told her about Xing'er, so he was hard-pressed to imagine his father being any more permissive. His face grew hard as he realized that his father was playing him for a fool.

 _He'll never let me marry the woman I love, even if I do manage to uncover something incriminating against Yuwen Yue. Maybe he would pretend to be willing to allow me to marry Xing'er, but he surely knows she'd never have me under those circumstances. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if Xing'er were to end up…_

Yuan Song had to stop this line of thought as he was getting overwhelmed. How could he be having such thoughts about his father? How could he suspect him of these things?

 _How can I not suspect him given the circumstances? How could I not be skeptical of his claim that he'll allow me to take Yuwen Yue's former bedchamber maid as my wife? How could I not have been skeptical of such an assertion earlier? I really am childish, naive, and oblivious. How many other things are not as I've believed them to be?_

Xing'er's face flashed through his mind again, and he decided that the first part of his plan would be to discover her feelings for himself and for Yuwen Yue. He needed to practice observing the world around him and determining people's feelings and motivations; how would he manage to solve a murder myster—much less find evidence of treason-otherwise?

 _If Xing'er shows no particular regard for Yuwen Yue, then I'll figure out where to go from there. My father somehow found out about my feelings for her, so I'll need to be more discreet. If Xing'er appears to be in love with Yuwen Yue…_

Pain radiated throughout his chest as if it had been shot with an arrow at the thought of the woman he loved caring for another, but he still made a vow to himself nevertheless.

 _If Xing'er is in love with Yuwen Yue, then I'll respect her choice and will do everything I can to protect them and make sure that she's happy. If she's in love with me, then I'll do everything in my power to make her my wife, come what may. And if I find something incriminating about Yuwen Yue...Well, I'll deal with that when it happens. One thing I do know, though: I'm not willing to ruin anyone's life over Yuwen Xi or Yuwen Huai._

A feeling of peace rose within Yuan Song as he managed to make some headway against the swell of his emotions and concerns. His typical optimism reasserted itself, causing him to give his horse a swift tap on his side and take him into a canter. He quickly left his startled guards behind, ignoring their bewildered shouts as he veered off from the road leading to the entrance to Qing Shan Yuan and headed elsewhere instead.

Yuan Song had spent many a day riding all over the Yuwen holdings, which were quite impressive. His father's lands were, of course, more so, but that was an unfair standard against which to judge a nobleman. He luxuriated in the feel of the wind in his hair and the sun on his face as he raced towards an open field that was often used for such a purpose.

At first, he thought that the thundering hooves he heard were those of his own mount, but he quickly realized that they were coming from somewhere in front of him. Unsure of who might be riding around out here—especially given recent events—Yuan Song slowed his horse and entered a copse of trees that hid him while giving him an excellent view of the field before him.

The sight that met his eyes was one of the most beautiful he'd ever seen. Xing'er was galloping across the field on Cold Fire, her hair flying behind her in a ponytail that matched the horse's. She was in complete control of the stallion, which had clearly met its match in terms of untamable spirit. Yuan Song was close enough to see the look of competitive delight on Xing'er's face as she rode hard for a low, broken-down stone fence that would likely be the end point of her run.

His eyes were drawn to a figure on Xing'er's other side which had been partially hidden from view. Of course, considering that Yuan Song's eyes had been instantly drawn to Xing'er, he wasn't surprised that he'd missed Yuwen Yue keeping pace with her and obviously doing his best to take the lead from her. The spymaster continued edging up on Xing'er and Cold Fire, finally overtaking her as they both thundered towards the wall.

Neither of them slowed down as they rapidly approached the barrier, and Yuan Song barely managed to contain the yell of concern building up within him as they jumped over the fence in perfect tandem. They gradually slowed their horses, eventually bringing them to a stop not far from where Yuan Song was concealed in the woods. He could see the proud looks on both of their faces and wasn't surprised when those looks changed to indignantly mocking as they each claimed victory.

The young prince couldn't keep himself from smiling as he watched his two friends bicker back and forth about who won the race. He couldn't hear what they were saying, but Yuwen Yue's lofty demeanor and Xing'er's irritation at his pronouncements conveyed the gist of the conversation to Yuan Song. Xing'er gesticulated wildly with her hands in the general direction of the wall while Yuwen Yue pointed to a set of hoofprints near its base.

"You tell him, Xing'er," Yuan Song whispered, grinning as the woman he loved refused to back down from her former master.

Yuwen Yue shifted his horse closer to Cold Fire, who shied away in indignation like his new mistress. Xing'er pouted at the spymaster, but that only served to increase Yuwen Yue's amusement. His horse stepped closer to Xing'er's again, and he reached a hand out to tuck a stray bit of flyaway hair behind Xing'er's ear. The spymaster's fingers lingered longer than necessary, and Yuan Song could feel the mood shift between them even from where he was sitting. His grin slid off his face as he noted the change.

While Xing'er's face still had a haughty, indignant expression on it, her body language altered as she leaned into Yuwen Yue's touch. She murmured something at the spymaster that caused him to cup her chin and caress her cheek with his thumb. The pain Yuan Song felt was acute, but he was too transfixed by the scene to look away.

Without warning, Yuwen Yue removed his hand and dismounted his horse, standing to the left of Cold Fire and looking up at Xing'er impudently. She put up a fuss about something, but Yuan Song could tell the moment she gave in. Yuwen Yue reached his hands up and cupped Xing'er's waist as she dismounted the horse and slid down Yuwen Yue's front in the process. He pulled her close; she wound her arms around his waist and rested her head on his chest.

Yuan Song felt twin tracks of wetness trace down his face and was finally jolted back to his senses. He swiped at his cheeks with clumsy movements, realizing from the amount of tears present that he'd been crying for some time. While he felt some small measure of relief in having gained an answer to some of his earlier questions, the agony constricting his heart far outweighed any positive emotions he might've felt.

 _Rethinking your previous resolution, Your Highness? a_ snide, seductive voice whispered in his head. _You came to some pretty lofty conclusions in your head a few minutes ago, but now that you've seen the woman you love in the arms of another, are you really going to allow her to walk out of your life like that?_

 _Who says she's going to walk out of my life? h_ e retorted. _After all, she never made me any promises or told me she loved me. Even from a distance, I could tell that she's never looked at me the way she was looking at Yuwen Yue. I know now that Xing'er doesn't love me like she loves him, but I think she cares for me as a friend. Considering the life she's had and the way my peers have treated her, even her friendship is valuable to me._

 _And you call yourself a man? You're a prince. Yuwen Yue is just a noble who's suffered multiple family scandals. Xing'er is a free woman. You want her, so take her. That's the way of the world. That's what real men do. Your father let the woman he loved escape into the arms of another and look at where that got him. Don't make the same mistake your father made._

 _I won't make the same mistakes Father made,_ Yuan Song vowed to the voice. _I won't allow jealousy and resentment to poison two relationships I value immensely. I won't hold a grudge against two people in love just because I didn't get what I wanted. I won't use politics and deception to ruin people's lives just to maintain a balance of power. You say I'm not a man, and you're right. I'm not a man. I'm a naive, foolish boy who needs to grow up._

As Xing'er and Yuwen Yue walked their horses into the woods outside of the field, Yuan Song made another vow as he turned his horse around and rode out of the copse of trees without a backward glance.

 _I may not be a man yet, but I'm going to do my best to become one._

* * *

Yan Xun laughed hysterically on the back of his horse, surprising both his mount and his father with his mirth as the tears ran down his face. The past month or so of his life had given him nothing to laugh about, but the story of Yuwen Xi's death at the drunken hands of Yuwen Huai was the funniest news the crown prince had heard in years. He'd had to do a lot of growing up since running away from Wei, so he'd managed to control his emotions until he'd been able to retreat to the wide open plains of his homeland with his father.

"I haven't...laughed this hard...since Chun'er stole Yuan Song's favorite toy...and planted it in Yuwen Huai's room," he gasped between laughs. "They fought about that...for years...we never told...the truth."

"I take it there was no love lost between you and Yuwen Huai, Son?" his father asked in obvious perplexity.

"There wasn't much love lost between me and most of them, Father," Yan Xun replied, sobering up. "To most of them, I was the rustic outsider born to the woman who turned down their emperor for another man. We all pretended to enjoy spending time together, but they wouldn't have given me the time of day if I hadn't have been a prince."

"Well, Son, that's just the way of the world," his father said, clapping him on the back. "In all honesty, that's the way of leadership, too. We all pretend like we care about each other, but many of them would turn their backs on me if I weren't their rightful leader. Sometimes I lay awake at night and wonder how many of them would've fought for you had your mother and I..."

"I'm glad we won't have to worry about that any time soon," Yan Xun said into the silence.

Although he'd been learning an immense amount about how to rule Yanbei since he was now the crown prince, he had no desire whatsoever to assume the mantle of leadership yet. He knew he had years to go before he would be able to come close to matching his father's decision-making abilities and political acumen.

"What I really wanted to talk to you about, Son, was the rumor I heard through our spies that the emperor is suspicious that Yuwen Yue and some of his people might've had something to do with Yuwen Huai's mental state at the time of the murder. Do you think that's plausible?"

Yan Xun knew that they were alone, but he still found himself looking around surreptitiously in order to make sure that nobody would be able to overhear his next words.

"Definitely. Yuwen Yue is smart, cunning, and, unlike the Third Branch of his family, honorable. I lost track of how many times Yuwen Huai and his perverted grandfather tried to assassinate Yuwen Yue—and those were just the attempts I heard about. Yuwen Yue is also a master of poisons and would certainly be capable of taking out both men of that side of the family at once."

His father was silent for a few moments, obviously digesting Yan Xun's words.

"The night you fled Chang'an, our spies told us later that Yuwen Yue and his men searched the surrounding villages for evidence of your passing rather than heading for more logical locations. Do you think he's on our side?"

Now Yan Xun was the one to be quiet as he gave the question the weight it deserved.

"Yuwen Yue would never betray the people of Wei," he finally said. "He would never do something for personal satisfaction or petty vengeance if innocent people might get hurt as a result. However, in addition to what you mentioned, he was the one who kept telling me to come home. I think he knew more than he felt he could say to me without committing treason. While I wouldn't expect him to side with us outright, I'd like to think that he wouldn't attack us directly."

"And what of Xing'er?" his father asked, giving his son a knowing look. "My people told me that the emperor mentioned her specifically as a suspect. Do you think she was involved in whatever Yuwen Yue may have done?"

Yan Xun couldn't prevent the smile from breaking out on his face in spite of the conversation.

"If Yuwen Yue was involved, then Xing'er definitely helped him," Yan Xun confirmed. "Yuwen Xi brutally murdered her sister at Jile Pavilion during one of his rampages, and her brother also died under suspicious circumstances. I know she blamed Yuwen Yue for his death for many months, but she eventually came to understand the treacherous nature of the Third Branch."

"Xing'er is the young woman you told your mother about, isn't she?"

"Yes, Father," Yan Xun admitted, seeing no reason to lie. "I wanted to believe that she could come to care for me in time, but..."

"Our people tell me that the rumors surrounding Xing'er and Yuwen Yue have been swirling for quite sometime. Do you think they're true?"

"Yes," Yan Xun said, his smile fading away. "I know they are. While she didn't understand her feelings for the longest time, I could tell...I think even a blind person could've sensed something between them. Well, I don't think Yuan Song ever did, but your average blind person is probably more perceptive than the 13th prince."

"So was he as rotten as the rest of them, Son?"

"Actually, Yuan Song was one of the few honorable men in all of Wei. He may have been naive, silly, and unobservant, but he wasn't cruel, arrogant, or heartless. While I would never expect him to see his father for what he truly is, I would, however, trust him to deal honestly with us if he were ever in a position to do so."

"See, Son? You contribute more to our situation than you think," his father said, giving him a reserved smile. "I've been teaching you much of Yanbei politics, but you have your finger on the pulse of Wei and Chang'an. Thanks to you, I know who to trust and who not to trust."

"Who not to trust is easy," Yan Xun said, scowling. "Anyone outside of Qing Shan Yuan is suspect—and some of its servants might be double-dealing spies. Anyone in the royal family outside of Song'er and Chun'er is untrustworthy—and even those two probably couldn't help us much."

"Well, at least the list of who to trust is short enough to remember," his father said, grinning at his son. Yan Xun couldn't help but smile back at his father's gallows humor.

"Son, about Xing'er..."

"She belongs to the past, Father," Yan Xun said, his brief bit of good humor disappearing. "The last time I spoke to her before I left, she...well...she plainly told me that she was staying at Qing Shan Yuan because she had everything she needed there and that I needed to go back to where I belonged. I left a part of my heart behind with her, but I can't waste time dwelling on something that can never be and that will only cause me pain."

"When your mother accepted my proposal of marriage, I felt more alive in that moment than I had ever experienced up to that point. Her response gave me life, but my friend, the man whose life I'd saved over and over again and whom I saw as a brother...Her response gave that man death. Maybe he died that day; I don't know. Promise me you won't become like him, Son. Please promise me."

"I promise, Father," Yan Xun said, his face hard but earnest.

"We should probably go back, Son," his father said. "We wouldn't want your mother to worry."

"Of course we wouldn't," Yan Xun said with a touch of irony in his voice.

His father grimaced in acknowledgment of their shared family tragedy before turning his horse around and setting off for home. Yan Xun followed, briefly allowing the familiar sensation of thundering across his native land to take him back to simpler, happier times before he'd lost his family and the woman he loved to the nobles and royals of Wei. He allowed a few tears to form in his eyes as he remembered the boy he used to be both here and in Chang'an, but his eyes were dry by time he and his father reached the stables.

* * *

Xiao Ce pinned the beautiful young woman to his bed, a triumphant smirk gracing his features. Faster than he could anticipate, she thrust up against him and flipped him on his back, gaining the upper hand. While Xiao Ce had always been turned on by women who could take control—except for his sister, of course—this was one arena in which he was never willing to concede dominance.

Fortunately, the crown prince had been practicing for this moment. He positioned his hands just so on the bed and shifted his own hips against the lovely woman just as he'd envisioned doing since the last time they'd been together. Xiao Ce smiled in anticipation of victory, yet his grin quickly disappeared from his face as the woman countered his escape attempt with a tightening of her own grip.

"Um...Xia Xia..."

"Had enough, Your Highness?"

"I can never get enough of you, Xia Xia," Xiao Ce said loudly enough for any listening servants to hear.

The former assassin smirked down at her prisoner, who gave her his suavest, foxiest grin. She didn't seem to be phased in the least.

"I love it when you let me be on top, Your Highness," she said, also playing along with their charade.

"I live to please you, my darling."

"I'll have to remember that," Xia Chong muttered at the still-smirking prince.

"Would you mind letting me up, Xia Xia? We have much to discuss."

"We do, indeed, Your Highness," Xia Chong said, smiling pleasantly as she increased the pressure on her unbreakable hold. "I'd be glad to let you up as soon as you concede defeat."

"Come, now, Xia Xia," Xiao Ce said, flashing his grin again. "Surely there's no need for such formalities between two close friends, is there?"

"Are we friends, Your Highness?"

"Of course we are, Xia Xia," he said, contorting his face in exaggerated hurt. "How could you doubt my affection for you—and my integrity?"

"Because the last time we wrestled in your bed, you pretended to surrender only to get the better of me when I foolishly took you at your word."

"Oh. Right. I'd forgotten about that, Xia Xia."

"I hadn't."

"Um...well...we really should discuss my meeting with Father."

"We should."

"We have much to talk about."

"You said that already."

"So I did."

"Do you surrender, Your Highness?"

"Um...well...Do you hear footsteps, Xia Xia? I think I hear a servant girl coming with tea. You really should let me up before she gets the...wrong idea."

"And what idea would that be, Your Highness? That you have too many clothes on and are far too sober for this hour?"

"Now that was uncalled for, Xia Xia."

"I wouldn't have said it had you given up already."

"You're no fun, Xia Xia."

"I thought you just said you couldn't get enough of me and that you lived to please me."

"Did I? My memory must be going."

"Selectively, I think. Do you surrender?"

Xiao Ce sighed and bowed to the inevitable.

"Oh, very well, Xia Xia; I surrender. I'm going to figure out a way to break that hold, you know. I almost had you this time."

"Of course you did, Your Highness," Xia Chong said, finally loosening her hold on Xiao Ce.

While the crown prince was glad to be able to move around again, he had to admit that he regretted the loss of the feel of Xia Xia's body pressed so tightly against his own.

 _Not that I have any special feelings for her or anything,_ he said as he reclined indolently on his bed. _It's simply nice to have someone I can be myself around, someone who already knows about my martial arts skills and true nature. I don't have to pretend to be a hapless idiot around her—although she'd probably insult me by saying I wouldn't be pretending. I would, of course, pretend to be insulted while secretly loving every minute of the banter. She's quite a woman…_

Xia Chong appeared at his bedside with a tray holding a pot of wine and two small cups. He grinned in approval at both the contents of the tray and the picture the woman presented.

"You spoil me, Xia Xia," he said, smiling lasciviously at her and patting the space on the bed in front of himself.

"Who said I got this for you, Your Highness?" she asked as she sat down on the large bed. "Whatever shortcomings you have, drinking low-quality wine isn't one of them. Maybe I just wanted to have some of your excellent wine and didn't want to listen to you complain about not getting any."

"I never have to worry about not getting any when you're around, Xia Xia."

"And don't you forget it, Your Highness," she said in an overly-sweet voice that did not match the expression on her face.

Xiao Ce watched in contentment as Xia Chong poured them each a cup of wine. This, too, was part of the charade they put on for the servants—albeit an enjoyable part of the charade. He'd known that, in order to be able to be himself around Xia Chong, he was going to have to pretend to take her as his concubine and engage in the behavior for which he was well-known both here and abroad. While Xia Chong had been reluctant to join his harem at first—even just in name only—she'd quickly come to see the wisdom in hiding from his sister in plain sight.

 _And I get to see the...wisdom...of looking at Xia Xia in those filmy, fancy clothes instead of assassin's robes._

He took a sip of his wine, enjoying the sight of Xia Chong doing the same with obvious relish. While he knew that neither of them would even come close to drunkenness, they both shared a fondness for his admittedly excellent wine. Fortunately, they also shared a fondness for sparring, learning new combat techniques, and fooling the servants into thinking they were engaged in more carnal pursuits.

 _I wouldn't mind engaging in more carnal pursuits with Xia Xia, but I know she'll never see me as a suitable partner for such activities. Although she knows that my reputation in that department is exaggerated, I know her to be a woman who would never be content to share her man with anyone else. Ah, well; on to business._

"Father agrees with me," he said to the waiting woman without preamble once he'd finished his wine.

Xia Chong sighed with relief before saying, "I'm pleasantly surprised at His Majesty's display of common sense. He is _your_ father, after all."

"How can you say such shocking, disrespectful things about the Emperor of Liang?" he asked, clutching his heart. "After all, my father frequently displays common sense. He _did_ make me the crown prince, remember."

"Exactly my point," Xia Chong said, smirking. "Of course, considering that his only other option was Xiao Yu's brother, he made the only somewhat reasonable choice available."

"Your belief in my ability to rule Liang someday is heartwarming, Xia Xia."

"If any brother of Xiao Yu ever sits on the throne, it will be because we're both dead," Xia Chong said with a sneer.

"Which is one of the main reasons I'm glad that Father also sensed the general currents of unrest and change that you and I have been feeling lately. I can't help but feel that my darling sister is involved in all of this somehow and that the kingdom is going to slip through my fingers if I let her go about her business unchallenged."

"One of the other reasons, of course, is that you're bored," Xia Chong said.

"With you, Xia Xia? Never!"

"With Liang, Your Highness. You want to get out and travel. You want to see the world and make it your own. You want to live."

Xiao Ce gave the woman reclining on his bed with him a genuine smile devoid of his usual foxy play-acting.

"My life was so boring before you came into it, Xia Xia," he said. "All I did day in and day out was run my spy network and do my best to advance my dim-witted playboy reputation. Now I get to work on my combat techniques, have intelligent conversations, plot schemes against my dearest sister, and now travel to Wei and turn it upside down."

"Well, before you came into my life, Your Highness, I was living in a cage being tormented by your sister. Before your sister came into my life, I was an assassin who lived in a dark, damp cave network and worked for a man who poisoned me quarterly in order to keep me from betraying him. Now I get to drink expensive wine, learn new fighting methods from someone who's secretly studied with masters, beat up on Liang's crown prince in his own bed-"

"Only when we wrestle, Xia Xia!" he asserted. "You still lose most of the time when we spar with swords."

"Only because of the techniques I taught you, Your Highness. You never beat me before I showed you all of my secrets."

"Now whose memory has become selective?"

"So when do we leave, Your Highness? Because you're definitely not leaving me here with these other empty-heads in your harem."

"How dare you impugn the honor of my concubines! How can you say such things about them?"

"How much time do you spend with them, Your Highness?"

"As much time as I want to, Xia Xia."

"Exactly. Compare that to how much time I spend with them-"

"And we should probably get back to business, Xia Xia."

"So what excuse did you and your father come up with for our little trip?"

"I'm going to Wei in order to seek a marriage between myself and their princess—or a daughter of a noble if that should fall through."

Xia Chong gaped at him for a few moments before breaking out into cackles of glee.

"That will get you into the palace...and into all of the noble houses...and some less-noble ones..." she said between laughs. "And I suppose...you'll be acting...as obnoxiously as possible...since you don't actually want...to get married..."

"Ah, how well you understand me, Xia Xia," Xiao Ce said. "But you might want to keep your voice down so the servants don't get the wrong idea."

"Oh, please take me with you, Your Highness!" she cried. "I can't bear to be parted from you only to have you take another into your arms! Oh, what shall become of us, my love?"

Xiao Ce doubled up on his bed as he laughed silently, tears rolling down his cheeks.

"There, there, Xia Xia," he said, having to pause for another couple of silent laughs. "You will always be my one, true love. Of course I'll take you with me to Wei, Dearest."

Xia Chong pretended to weep with relief, but Xiao Ce could see that her tears, like his, were caused by laughter.

"We're going to be as obnoxious as possible, aren't we, Your Highness?" Xia Chong murmured after they'd recovered themselves.

"Of course, Xia Xia. After all, I have a reputation to maintain," Xiao Ce said, flashing his foxy grin once more.

"And I have a reputation to establish," Xia Chong said. "The first thing I'll do once we get to Wei is to wear a veil all the time so that nobody there will recognize me—I mean, 'Because only my beloved prince may gaze on my beauty.'"

Xiao Ce chuckled lowly. "Besides, we wouldn't want my darling sister to see you by chance. Very good. And I'll have to compare every girl I meet to your beauty and find them wanting—which will make everyone angry since nobody will know what you look like."

"I can already tell that the food won't be to our liking," Xia Chong said solemnly. "The beds will be too lumpy. The tea will be too stale. The servant girls will be too ugly. Our rooms will be too hot—or too cold, once they've tried to chill them."

Xiao Ce poured them both another cup of wine, grinning the whole time. Once Xia Chong had picked hers up, they clinked their small cups together and drank them down.

"We're going to set Wei on its ear, Xia Xia," he said, refilling their cups and toasting her.

"We're going to find a way to set your sister on her-"

"Ear?"

"That, too," Xia Chong said, grinning. "So when do we leave?"

"Is tomorrow too early, Xia Xia?"

Xia Chong gave an indelicate snort. "I'll be the servants would think so."

"Well, then, it's a good thing the servants aren't in charge of when we leave."

"So between our little demonstration in here and the uproar the servants are going to be in with all the packing, it's safe to say that all of your harem likely knows that you're leaving."

"I think that would be a safe assumption to make, Xia Xia."

"So do I want to go back there and taunt them with the fact that I'm going with you or do I want to stay here and get some rest?"

"I, of course, think you should spend as much time in bed with me as possible, Xia Xia."

She deliberated for a few moments before standing up, causing Xiao Ce's heart to sink. His spirits rose again when she merely took the now-empty pot of wine and the cups over to a small table and then returned to his bed. Xia Chong climbed back in without a moment's hesitation, settling into her normal space that was too far away for Xiao Ce's liking but apparently just right for the assassin's tastes.

"Sleep is going to be hard to come by on the road," she murmured as she pulled the covers up to her chin. "I think I'll take one more night of peace and quiet over gloating at empty-heads."

"Why do you think I prefer to spend more time with you than at court, Xia Xia?" Xiao Ce asked, smiling at this woman he'd come to care so much for in the past month.

Xia Chong smiled back before closing her eyes and sighing in contentment as she relaxed. Xiao Ce watched her for a few moments before forcing himself to turn away from her and seek his own rest. A thought occurred to him right before he drifted off to sleep, and he couldn't stop himself from murmuring it over his shoulder at his close friend.

"Do you know you're the only woman I've ever wanted to _just_ sleep with, Xia Xia?"

Silence greeted his question.

"Go to sleep, Your Highness," Xia Chong whispered just before her own breathing evened out.

He took his favorite almost-concubine's advice and was asleep in moments.

* * *

AN: I hope y'all enjoyed spending some time with the men in Xing'er's life (or, in the case of Xiao Ce, men who will soon be in Xing'er's life). Next week: YWH in prison; the Grand Concubine sends Xing'er north. 2 weeks: YWH legal implications; Xing'er continues to unravel a mystery; Xiao Ce's upcoming visit is announced. 3 weeks: XC arrives and throws everything into chaos as usual. YWH sentenced; maybe XE meets YWY's dad? I don't know. 4 weeks: ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯.

In all honesty, these next 4-5 chapters might take 2 weeks each to plot and write because I simply haven't pulled all the strings together yet. I mean, I even realized that I hadn't planned much in the way of XingYue and was thus making that classic mistake of writers in which I give you everything but what you really want to read. The "YWY's father" storyline will, of course, produce some good XingYue later, but I have a few plans in the works in that regard for the next few weeks. We'll just have to see what happens.


	8. Chapter 8

AN: This week's "that took longer than I expected" moment came when Yuan Song and Meng Feng decided that they wanted to give me two discussions for the price of one. Just be glad I didn't post the entire 5,000 words here and decided to break it off when I did and repurpose the back half for next time instead. Those two dorks, I swear...

* * *

The two crossbow bolts embedded themselves into their intended targets, causing Yuwen Yue's eyes to gleam with satisfaction. He gave no other outward reaction as yet another couple of assassins found their lives suddenly cut short outside of Chang'an's prison. This was his fourth night standing watch outside of the jail in which his brother currently resided; he'd killed at least 15 assassins every night he'd been on duty.

Xing'er had volunteered to stand watch with him, but he'd turned her down for several reasons. For starters, he knew that, if anything at all went wrong inside the prison, she'd likely be blamed. He also felt relieved that she would be able to watch over Qing Shan Yuan in his absence in case someone learned of his current occupation and decided to try to attack his home while he was gone.

While he knew that Xing'er thought he didn't trust her not to try to harm Yuwen Huai herself, he knew that she had no intention of doing so. After all, she wanted him to suffer copious amounts of humiliation during his imprisonment, trial, and inevitable execution, and she wouldn't do anything to deny herself the pleasure of observing such events unfold. She also knew that Yuwen Huai dying in prison would likely lead to suspicions of foul play—suspicions that could end up at Qing Shan Yuan's gates.

 _Part of me wishes I'd accepted Xing'er's offer,_ he admitted to himself in the cool stillness of the night. _She could keep me company, fill the silence, kill her share of assassins...She might not have all of the skills that our society deems important for a_ da fu ren _, but she's capable of defending our home and killing our enemies. She's also turning into an excellent kisser, if I do say so myself. My Xing'er..._

Yuwen Yue was drawn from his pleasant musings about his fiance by the less-pleasurable sight of several men sneaking around the side of the prison. They glanced surreptitiously around, but all of the bodies of their predecessors had rolled beyond the meager light provided by the torches and moonlight. After all, few men could see as well as he could, and these men clearly had no clue that death awaited them.

He waited until they were framed in front of the door and beneath the torches before shooting three bolts in rapid succession. Three brief cries of surprise preceded three sodden thumps as the now-lifeless bodies collapsed on the stairs and rolled down to join their brethren. Yuwen Yue knew that his beloved would've complimented him on his shooting skills before nonchalantly bringing up a mundane topic like the breakfast menu or guard rotations.

 _Or maybe she'd bring up a more serious topic,_ he thought, his pleased expression turning into a frown. _Would she try again to get me to talk about the details of my second meeting with the Grand Concubine or would she know to leave well enough alone?_

Yuwen Yue understood Xing'er's hurt and frustration. After all, he had sought comfort from her after his first meeting with the _tai fu ren_ and had agreed to do the same after the second meeting. And yet…

They spymaster had killed and had seen death in all its stages. He'd seen wounded bodies on the brink of death. He'd even witnessed the aftermath of violence against women, not just from Yuwen Xi's rampages but as a result of an often cruel world. His grandfather had raised him to ruthlessly control his emotions and to never let them get the better of him.

Nevertheless, after his second, more detailed conversation with the _tai fu ren_ , he'd calmly walked alone into the Eyes of God lair, locked the door behind himself, and gotten drunk on the stash of wine he'd left in there for those rare occasions when life got too hard for him to handle on his own. While he'd been ashamed of his emotionalism after the fact, he had to admit that he couldn't have faced Xing'er so soon after listening the details the Grand Concubine had imparted to him.

Besides, after he'd recovered from his night of drinking, he hadn't been bothered by the details of the conversation at all. He'd succeeded in replacing his mask and had been the picture of tranquil ease all week. If Xing'er had gotten her feelings hurt due to her unsatisfied curiosity, whose fault was that?

 _Xing'er's not like that! h_ is emotional side defended his fiance. _You know full well she's not curious about the details; she just wants to take care of the man she's going to marry. Was she wrong to be upset that her future husband turned to booze for comfort instead of her?_

 _She needs to learn to mind her own business,_ Yuwen Yue argued. _If our marriage is going to work, then she's going to have to realize that certain subjects are off-limits._

 _Like the greatest scandal to ever hit the family into which she's going to marry, oh,_ _S_ _pymaster?_ his snide side sneered. _She definitely doesn't need to know about that. I'm sure she'll get over you completely shutting her out physically and emotionally after being so vulnerable with her in the recent past. Your relationship won't be harmed at all, I'm sure._

 _Our relationship is fine_! he mentally retorted. _I've just been busy here these past several days and haven't had a chance to see her outside of her serving me_ _meals_ _every day. I haven't been deliberately avoiding her or anything_.

 _Oh, of course not, Dear Spymaster. You've only pointedly ignored her until she left your room with tears and hurt gathering in those expressive brown eyes of hers. You can't rightly be accused of avoiding her when you're kicking her out of your own room, right?_

Fortunately the familiar flapping of wings drew him out of his unpleasant thoughts. Although he and Xing'er had been at odds this past week, she'd still done her best to take care of him during this trying time. Every night he'd been standing guard here, she'd sent the Cangwu bird to him with a personal message to raise his spirits. Of course, considering that they'd come from Xing'er, none of these messages had been romantic in the slightest, but maybe tonight would be the night she finally instructed the parrot to deliver a loving, sappy message of deepest devotion.

"Well? Let's have it," he said to the bird. "What message has my Xing'er sent to me this night? Is it more romantic than, 'He's not worth it!" or 'I hope he dies!'? Has she told you to say, 'I love you, Yuwen Yue!' or maybe, 'I can't wait to marry you!' or possibly even, 'You make me happy!'? Tell me."

"Let them through! Let them through! Let them through!" the parrot squawked, his eyes gleaming cheekily in the moonlight.

Yuwen Yue couldn't stop the small smile from briefly stretching his lips out before they reverted to their natural neutral state. The message was so quintessentially Xing'er that he couldn't bring himself to be upset at its less-than-romantic contents. He could, however, resent the separation from his beloved that was keeping him from resolving this issue between them.

 _Oh, yes, Spymaster, blame the separation. Your own stubbornness couldn't possibly be responsible._

Said spymaster was saved from the absurdity of having to remind the mental voice that both of them shared the same stubbornness by the convenient appearance of another duo of idiots ready to meet their doom at the prison door. He dispatched them as neatly and dispassionately as the others, and he smirked at the parrot as he complimented his shooting abilities.

"Master is wonderful! Master is wonderful! Master is wonderful!"

He couldn't help but remember the time his parrot had said the same thing during his first night with Xing'er and the misconceptions that had led to. Naturally, this thought led to more memories of his beloved, and he soon lost himself again in thoughts of the woman who would be his wife. He resolved to solve the issues between them when he got home, unwilling to let such a stupid issue drive a wedge between him and the woman he loved.

* * *

"Master's coming! Master's coming! Master's coming!" the Cangwu bird shrieked as he flew over the entrance to Qing Shan Yuan, bringing tired but relieved smiles to the faces of all those standing guard.

One of the sentries immediately switched with a Yue guard waiting to take her place and set off at once for the kitchens. She sensed the flapping wings approaching from behind and gave the parrot a nod as he flew parallel with her.

"Food for the Master! Food for the Master! Food for me! Food for me!"

Xing'er smiled and shook her head at the silly bird, even going so far as to tell him that he could select their morning meals for her. After all, she never liked her choices to be too predictable. Considering that anyone determined to poison Yuwen Yue would either have to poison his food directly in her presence or to slip something in everything and make everyone sick, she was confident that she could prevent such a thing from happening.

The early-morning light cast a pinkish-golden glow around the main courtyard as people called out various greetings at her passing. They all acknowledged her status, already recognizing her as the _da fu ren_ even though there hadn't even been a formal engagement announcement, much less a marriage. None of them was stupid, however, and all had seen the way their master looked at her.

 _And some of them have, of course, caught us in...less-than-dignified positions,_ Xing'er had to admit as she approached the kitchens.

She knew that a few of the maids had likely even seen them kissing, although Yuwen Yue tried to reserve such things for the privacy of their rooms or the Eyes of God lair. Her own sisters were the worst, tittering knowingly at her and making unsubtle and unsuitable remarks about wearing red and other things they should've been too young to understand.

As if she'd summoned them with her thoughts, her sisters appeared at the entrance to the kitchens and pointed out the morning's options. They thought she was joking at first when she told them that the parrot was picking breakfast food for her and Yuwen Yue, but they quickly caught on when she backed up his choices with affirmations of her own. All of them shared a laugh over the parrot's antics but had to admit that he made excellent selections.

Her sisters helped her carry their trays to Yuwen Yue's rooms, speeding up as they heard the men at the gate greet their master. Xiao Ba and Xiao Qi giggled at her as they insisted on setting up two places to eat instead of one. Xing'er didn't have the heart to tell them that Yuwen Yue had been sending her away from his rooms over the past few days; she didn't want to burden her sisters with such topics, and she knew they couldn't help her anyway.

She set the parrot's dish on Yuwen Yue's desk and gave him a small smile as he enthusiastically set upon the food he'd chosen for himself. The sound of greetings ringing out at the head of the courtyard drew her attention to the task at hand, but her sisters had set up breakfast and had even lit a few candles for a romantic atmosphere.

Xing'er smiled at them, not wanting to hurt their feelings by telling them their efforts would likely come to nothing. They would leave. She'd open the door for Yuwen Yue. He'd greet her politely but curtly. He'd sit down. She'd ask him if he needed anything more. He'd say he didn't and that she could leave. She'd offer some half-hearted offer of more food or drink. He'd turn it down. She'd go out into the practice area in the back and eat at the table out there. She'd take her dishes and his away to be cleaned after telling him to rest well. She'd do the large amount of tasks she had to complete before the noon meal came. She'd repeat the meal sequence again before collapsing into bed for several hours of sleep before the evening meal arrived. After eating, she'd take her place and the gate and protect her home. She'd stand there until the bird gave his morning alert, setting everything in motion all over again.

Yuwen Yue's distinctive tread sounded outside the door, and Xing'er realized she'd been wool-gathering again. She opened the door for him just as she'd envisioned a few moments ago. He stepped through the doorway, every inch the competent, in-charge spymaster who was as proud and unbending as ever. Xing'er could see the exhaustion in his eyes, however, so she quickly shut the doors and turned around to lead him to the table.

She never got the chance as he swept her into his arms and kissed her soundly, smiling into the kiss as she uttered a squawk of surprise.

 _Someday I'm going to learn to predict when he's going to kiss me,_ she thought hazily as her beloved deepened the kiss and tightened his hold on her.

Xing'er responded in kind, deciding to live and love in the moment rather than to dwell on past arguments and misunderstandings.

 _I've missed him so much—I've missed_ this _so much,_ she admitted, surprised as she always was to realize how quickly she'd come to view his touches and kisses as not only normal but essential.

"Good job, Master! Good job, Master! Good job, Master!" the parrot screeched, ruining the mood.

Xing'er stalked over to a window and opened it, staring pointedly at the feathered pest until he flew out the door with a final impudent grin. An awkward silence settled over the room as Xing'er tried to casually direct Yuwen Yue over to the table as if he hadn't embraced her passionately after ignoring her for the past several days.

"Breakfast is going to get cold," she finally said, fidgeting. "Let's eat."

"I'd rather have you for breakfast, Xing'er, but I suppose this food will have to do," he said blandly before sitting down.

Xing'er could feel her entire body flush as she started stammering.

"I only meant that your company was all the nourishment I needed, Xing'er," he said. "What did you think I meant?"

She scowled at him, unsure of how to act as he threw her off-balance as he so often did. Instead of trying to come up with a clever rebuttal, she sat down and started to eat her own food. Part of her expected him to send her away again like he had done the past few days, but he made no move to do so.

"So how many people did you kill last night?" she asked, mentally rolling her eyes at her attempt at casual conversation.

"22," he replied as nonchalantly as if she were asking about how many people he'd talked to in the courtyard that morning.

"That's a record, isn't it?"

"Mm. I killed 21 last night, so they're getting bolder."

"Or maybe someone is getting dumber and accidentally sent an extra person."

"Mm. Maybe."

"My money's on Wei Shuyou. Or Zhao Xi Feng. They're both equally stupid."

"Mm."

Silence settled over the table again as they continued to eat their morning meal. Xing'er was both confused and irritated at Yuwen Yue's sudden reticence.

 _He pulls me into his arms and kisses me like he's remembered he's in love with me, and then he sits here and acts like he wants me to leave. Is he trying to punish me for being concerned about his well-being? I've eaten enough; maybe I should just go._

"Well, that was delicious," Xing'er said brightly. "I'll have to compliment my sisters. I'll just take the parrot's plate to the kitchen and I can gather your own dishes when I get back."

She laid her chopsticks down on her empty plate and stood up, wanting to leave as quickly as possible regardless of how much she'd missed his company. Before she could do so, however, he snaked out a hand and snagged her arm, pulling her into his lap and continuing to eat his meal as if nothing unusual had happened. Xing'er stared up at her beloved in astonishment, unable to understand what was going on in his head.

"Yuwen Yue," she said, gaping up at him in confusion.

"Yes, Xing'er?"

"Why did you...that is...what did you mean by…?"

"Why did I pull you into my lap while I was eating breakfast?"

"Well, yes, Yuwen Yue."

"Do I need a reason to pull my fiance into my lap while eating breakfast?"

"Well, no, but-"

"There's your answer, Xing'er."

She resigned herself to her fate, curling herself into a more comfortable position for the both of them. He continued to eat one-handed, so she picked up his cup of tea and held it to his lips whenever he indicated he wanted a drink. Otherwise he would've had to loosen his grip around her waist, and she didn't want that to happen. If she wasn't going to get to leave, then she figured she may as well enjoy her position as much as possible.

"I was wrong, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said as he set his chopsticks down with a contented expression on his face.

"About what, Yuwen Yue?"

"I said I wanted you for breakfast, but I was wrong—because I definitely want you for lunch instead, X'er."

"Oh," she said, partially because she didn't know what else to say but also because she knew that doing so irritated him.

"Xing'er, we're going to have to work on your romantic responses," he said, shaking his head in mock frustration.

"How would you like me to respond to such a ridiculous proposition?"

"Well, you could say, 'I would love for you have me for lunch, Yuwen Yue.' Or maybe you could say, 'I would love to have you for lunch, too, Yuwen Yue."

Xing'er gaped at him again, completely nonplussed by his behavior.

"I think you've gone too long without sleep, Yuwen Yue," she said after a few moments of silence. "I need to clean up this mess, and you need to go to bed and get some rest."

"You're right about two out of three of those statements, Xing'er."

"Oh. So you're not going to bed? Yuwen Yue-"

"I'm definitely going to bed, X'er," he said, his eyes darkening as he looked down at her. "And you're coming to bed with me."

"Yuwen Yue! You-! Be serious! I have a lot of work still to do, and you need to get some rest so that you can stay up all night again. I'm going to-"

He cut her off with a searing kiss, wrapping both of his arms around her and pulling her close.

"I told you I wanted you for lunch, X'er," he rasped. "Did you not hear me the first time?"

"But Yuwen Yue," she said, struggling out of his embrace and to her feet, "I still have to clean-"

"Leave it," he growled at her in a tone she'd never heard him use before.

She stood staring at him wide-eyed, unsure of what to do.

"When was the last time you slept, X'er?" he asked in a more normal voice.

"Y-yesterday, the same as every day," she said flippantly, trying to regain her equilibrium.

He frowned at her in response.

"Really, Yuwen Yue, I'm fine. I just have to-"

"Come to bed with me?" he finished for her, darting a hand out and deftly undoing the tie on her outer robe. "Yes, you do."

"But...but we're not married yet, Yuwen Yue!"

"That's never stopped us before. What makes this time different?"

"We weren't engaged then! We were sick! We just needed rest, not..."

"Who said I wanted to do anything more than rest with you, Xing'er? Such a mind you have."

The stinging retort Xing'er had been ready to send his way died on her lips as she looked into her beloved's eyes and saw the many emotions swirling within them. She could tell that the past several days—if not weeks—hard worn him down and that even he himself didn't know how to process all of the emotions he was feeling.

Xing'er knew that the odds of her being able to express her own feelings verbally were slim, so she let her actions do the talking for her. She reached out a hand and undid Yuwen Yue's outer robe, causing him to give her a potent look as he removed both of their robes without breaking eye contact. He tossed the garments onto a low table where they landed in a haphazard, jumbled puddle of fabric.

She walked over to the bed and pulled back the covers, getting to her knees and removing Yuwen Yue's boots for him after he'd sat down on the mattress. Her own boots met the same fate before she stood to her feet and stared down into the face of her beloved. Part of her wanted to say something about the awkwardness of the past few days, but most of her simply wanted to enjoy this moment with her fiance without worrying about what might come later.

He also seemed to have run out of words as he simply reached out and pulled her down into bed with him, gathering her to himself as he pulled the blankets up over both of them. Settling against him with a murmur of contentment, she placed her head on his chest and her arm over his middle in their rightful places. Peace filled her as she tilted her head up and looked into the gaze of the man she loved, her heart swelling as she saw the affection in his eyes.

"Yuwen Yue," she began hesitantly, "about the past few days-"

"When we're married, X'er, you're never going to sleep anywhere but right here," Yuwen Yue murmured.

"Where else would I sleep, Yuwen Yue?" she mumbled back, pouting at him. "The Grand Concubine stole the _da fu ren's_ quarters."

"Do you want to sleep anywhere else, X'er?"

Instead of replying, she laid her head back on his chest and squeezed him tighter. She felt her beloved press his lips to her hair softly before resting his head against her own. His arms tightened around her and pulled her closer, and she could feel her consciousness slipping away.

 _I hope I wake up in time for lunch,_ she thought as sleep came to claim her in its own embrace.

* * *

Meng Feng couldn't help but smile as she saw yet another group of maids chattering and laughing as they went about their work in the courtyard. The atmosphere among the servant girls since the night they'd learned that the monsters of Hong Shan Yuan would never come for them again had been nothing short of jubilant. Although they were all working harder than ever to keep both courtyards running, most of them went about their business with good cheer and a sense of hope.

 _No matter what else happens in my life, I can always be proud that I made these people's lives better. I served my master well. I helped to kill the monsters._

Most of her fellow Afterlife Camp comrades had taken on extra shifts of guard duty in order to pull their weight; Meng Feng had, of course, done her fair share of standing along the walls or at the gate. She'd decided to adhere to a more normal schedule than Xing'er, however, because she wanted to be able to stand guard over Qing Shan Yuan while the future wife of her master slept.

Today, however, was a day off—at least in the sense of being on guard rotation. Most of the Afterlife Camp assassins had no idea of what to do with a whole day of free time, so they usually did whatever tasks needed doing. Right now, Meng Feng was heading towards the laundry area since all of the female servants who had been killed had been low-ranking iron bells who had often taken care of cleaning duties.

As she walked between two buildings, she heard another group of tittering maids who were all talking loudly at once. She almost walked out and joined them, but the masculine voice that interrupted them pulled her up short. Immediately, she recognized Prince Yuan Song's voice as it raised in question. A burst of laughter greeted his question, so she crept closer along the building and stopped when she was just out of sight of the group.

"What's so funny?" Yuan Song asked, his face displaying confusion as it so often did. "Yue Qi seemed to find my question amusing as well and would only tell me that Xing'er was 'indisposed.' You ladies are more generous than that; surely you must be able to tell me where Xing'er is."

More twitters of laughter flitted around the group of girls, causing Meng Feng's lips to twitch in anticipation of what she knew was coming next.

"Your Highness, Yue Qi was telling the truth," one of the girls said before giggling herself. "Xing'er was last seen closing the doors behind the master right before breakfast and she hasn't been seen since."

"But it's mid-afternoon!" Yuan Song blurted, causing another round of giggles to sound.

"So you see, Your Highness, Xing'er really is...indisposed."

More laughter greeting this statement; even Meng Feng couldn't help but grin at the chagrined look that had formed on the prince's face. While the besotted royal seemed to have figured out over the past week that Xing'er and Yuwen Yue were in love with one another, he still appeared to be struggling with his feelings for the former bedchamber maid. His current stammerings about how the servant girls could keep him company instead and that he was sure Xing'er was resting well caused Meng Feng's smile to widen.

About a week ago, His Highness had ridden up to the gates of Qing Shan Yuan with a forced smile pasted on his face and a mount that looked a bit the worse for wear. Meng Feng had been standing watch at the gate at the time and had noticed the grass on the horse's hooves and the leaves stuck to the tack that had told her that the young prince had likely taken a detour from the road at some point.

Meng Feng had seen the master and Xing'er ride out earlier, ostensibly to get Cold Fire used to riding out in the open. Knowing looks had shot around the courtyard and a couple of ribald remarks about riding lessons had reached the former assassin's ears as the two lovers had ridden out of view. She'd kept her serene expression in place, but she'd known that, as in love as the two of them were with each other, the odds of their interactions remaining strictly professional had been slim.

 _I hope that whatever His Highness saw the master and Xing'er doing wasn't too scandalous. Although I know that Yuan Song would never deliberately harm his friends, he could make a casual remark to the wrong person that could lead to negative repercussions._

 _Since when have we decided that Yuan Song was such a paragon of virtue? h_ er wary side argued. _After all, he's just another spoiled, selfish royal who would sell out his own mother if doing so would get him the throne._

She rejected her inner voice's accusations against the prince, firmly believing them to be false. While she wouldn't be willing to trust him with any secrets due to his overly-open nature, she felt that he would never hurt people he cared about just for petty vengeance or personal advancement. Not that he was a weakling, though; she felt that if he or someone he loved were in danger, he wouldn't hesitate to fight if necessary.

"Help us, Your Highness! It's too heavy! We can't lift it!"

Meng Feng's attention was drawn back to the scene before her by the chirping chorus of servant girls, who had apparently just asked the 13th Prince of Wei to assist them with hanging up freshly-laundered blankets. She'd helped these same girls to do laundry a few days ago and knew that they were perfectly capable of hefting the bedclothes over the poles to dry by themselves. Yuan Song seemed aware of this fact, too, but he nevertheless picked up the heaviest blanket and slung it over the wooden slat for the admiring maids.

"You're so strong, Your Highness! Thank you! Yes, thank you! Can you lift another?"

The prince seemed amused at the antics of the maids and hung another piece of laundry for them with a smile. He continued to chat with them as they begun hanging up some of the smaller, lighter bits of wash. Yuan Song appeared to be perfectly at ease, acting as if helping slaves with cleaning duties was an everyday occurrence for him.

 _That's why I'm drawn to him,_ she responded to that skeptical voice in her head. _There's something so purely, innately good about him that pulls me in every time we talk. Yes, I know he's wealthy and high-born. Yes, I know he's naive and clueless and oblivious about the world around him. You tell me these things, but then I see him helping servant girls to hang laundry while chatting with them as if they were his equals and…_

" _-_ Meng Feng are always doing some sort of training or other," one of the servant girls said, causing Meng Feng's eyes to zero in on the scene once again.

"Really? What kind of training have they been doing lately?" the prince asked with that open, honest expression that made people want to tell him anything.

"The master's been giving Xing'er riding lessons," one of them said, prompting another round of giggles.

"Yes, I know...um...I'm sure that Xing'er's gotten even better at riding now," he mumbled, blushing mildly as the girls tittered again. "But other than that, what else have they been learning?"

"Oh, you know, lots of stuff. One day Xing'er and Meng Feng were forbidden from talking at all and could only use gestures and body language to communicate."

"Oh?"

"Yes! It was really funny. And for most of last week, they also had to pretend like they couldn't hear anything or else they would get punished by the master."

"I see," Yuan Song said. "Do you know why they were doing those things?"

"Of course not, Your Highness," a servant girl said, hanging up the last piece of laundry. "They never tell us anything about their secret missions. I guess the master felt they'd need to be able to pretend to be deaf and mute at some point in the future. Who can know?"

"You're right," Yuan Song agreed. "Yuwen Yue can be quite mysterious, can't he?"

"Oh, yes. He's always disappearing and going who-knows-where. He and Xing'er..."

The pain in his eyes at the mention of Xing'er and Yuwen Yue going off together caused that inner voice to taunt Meng Feng again.

 _Maybe you should remember that Mr. Open and Honest is in love with another woman. Maybe he sees you as pretty, but he doesn't actually care about you. All you'd ever be is an amusement to him. Do you really want to be some spoiled royal's consolation prize?_

 _Since when did I say that I wanted to be anything more than friends with him? s_ he retorted. _All I said was that I enjoy spending time with him because he's one of the only truly good men I've met in this world. Even if I did care for him and Xing'er didn't exist, what future would there be for us? I doubt that the emperor would welcome an assassin into the royal family—although I'm sure he'd love to take advantage of my abilities…_

"Right! Right! Right! Eyes of God business! That's what the master and Xing'er are doing."

Giggles belied the chattered words of the servant girls as they affirmed Yuan Song's suggestion of Yuwen Yue and Xing'er's activities with a bit too much enthusiasm to be believed. Meng Feng couldn't believe that her attention had wandered yet again, but the prince seemed to have that effect on her.

"They must have been doing some serious Eyes of God business last week," one of them said. "It was really tense around here for a few days."

The other maids agreed with the one who had spoken up, and a widening of Yuan Song's eyes made Meng Feng wonder if he had begun to make a few mental connections. Her heart started beating faster as she looked beneath the prince's guileless air and found a more sinister explanation for his recent behavior. What if his innocent questions weren't so innocent after all?

 _He's digging for the truth, you fool,_ her paranoid inner voice taunted. _He probably wants to impress his father by finding out the truth behind Yuwen Huai's supposed drunkenness. Yuwen Yue told you that the emperor is suspicious, so maybe your precious little prince is curious, too. Or maybe Daddy Dearest sent him on a secret mission of his own._

Her eyes narrowed as she waited for the prince to follow up the maid's statement with questions about when exactly the tension had been highest. Then he'd likely ask about her and Xing'er's training in relation to the anxious atmosphere around Qing Shan Yuan…

"Well, that was about the time that I brought Cold Fire here," he said with a grin. "He always made me anxious, so I wouldn't be surprised to learn that he did the same here. He has that effect on people."

"But the tension didn't start increasing until after Cold Fire had come," one of the maids piped up.

"Well, of course," Yuan Song said, widening his smile. "After all, nobody would've been tense before he came here, right?"

"Well...no..."

Meng Feng was sure that she looked as confused on the outside as she felt on the inside. What was he trying to do? Here was an easy line of questioning he could follow with a group of servant girls who were well-meaning but clueless. Why wasn't he asking the obvious questions that could lead to him learning more about what happened at Hong Shan Yuan that night?

 _If I didn't know better, I'd swear that he was trying...not...to…_

"Well, ladies, that's the last of the laundry," the prince said, bowing to them with a mock flourish and smiling at their giggles. "I'm glad I was able to be of service. However, I must be going…."

"That's right," Meng Feng said, stepping out from between the buildings in stride as if she hadn't been eavesdropping on the conversation. "I promised Cold Fire that I'd bring you back with me to visit him. I think he's missed you, Your Highness."

"Oh, no, Meng Feng!" the prince whined with an exaggerated grimace. "You wouldn't subject me to that beast, would you? He hates me!"

The maids laughed at the prince's antics; even Meng Feng had to smile.

"The best way to improve your relationship with someone is to spend more time around that person. I'm sure that Cold Fire will come to appreciate you in time."

"Have you come to appreciate me?" Yuan Song asked with that infectious grin.

"My amount of appreciation for you can change depending on the circumstances, Your Highness," she said, her eyes sparkling.

"Well, then I suppose I'll have to give you more reasons to appreciate me," he said.

"Are you going to give him riding lessons, Meng Feng?" one of the servants asked. "Master and Xing'er are always in such a great mood after their riding lessons with Cold Fire, so maybe you two could benefit from them, too."

Meng Feng gave them a look that promised revenge later, but they all seemed unrepentant.

"I'm sure that His Highness will find our conversation...enlightening," she said, shooting the prince a speculative look.

"I'm sure I will," Yuan Song said a bit warily. "However, I probably should be returning home. My family is expecting me."

He made an overly courtly bow and walked towards the gates of Qing Shan Yuan, the giggles of the servants following in his wake. Meng Feng kept her expression genial, but she had to admit that the exchange had disconcerted her—and not just because she didn't want the prince to get the wrong idea.

 _Or to realize just how much I'm coming to appreciate him._

* * *

As the indistinct feminine form detached itself from the shadows, a piece of Yuwen Huai's fragmented memory of _that night_ came back to him. At first, he thought he was hallucinating again, but this woman standing at the bars of his cell was quite different from the vague memories of spirits that still haunted his nightmares. She stood silently for a few more moments as if she were evaluating him before breaking the silence.

"Don't worry about the guards," she said, her heart-shaped face smirking at him through the bars. "They're temporarily incapacitated and won't be able to join us for our talk."

"Are we going to have a talk?" Yuwen Huai said, projecting an air of extreme boredom.

"Why else would I be here?"

"To partake of my pleasing company?"

"I can't remember when I've had better."

Yuwen Huai was mildly enjoying this banter with this lovely woman. Of course, he knew that she was probably some spy or assassin from some camp or other that hated him and/or wanted him dead. Not that he particularly cared if they succeeded; after all, he was surely going to be executed anyway. Of course, he'd done all he could to avoid assassination while in jail; in spite of his acceptance of his probable fate, he still had his reputation to maintain even to the bitter end.

"So what can your humble servant do for you, Miss?" Yuwen Huai said, twisting his lips and inclining his head.

"You can help me get vengeance on your behalf—and on behalf of your grandfather, who was a faithful ally of ours for many years."

Yuwen Huai managed to keep his eyes from widening as the probable identity of the woman and the implication of her words hit him simultaneously.

"And who are you, Miss?"

"That's unimportant in the scheme of things. All you need to know is that my associates and I have a plan that will lead to the ruin of Yuwen Yue and all he holds dear."

"Those are nice words," Yuwen Huai said before pretending to yawn. "Why should I believe that you'll back them up with actions?"

"I did manage to break in here to visit you when so few have succeeded. Your brother is quite persistent."

"My brother?"

"Yuwen Yue has been guarding the outside of the prison these past several nights. He's killed over 20 assassins a night."

"I'm sure he's doing so out of the goodness of his heart—and so that he can tell everyone that he did all he could to save his dearest brother. I think I'd rather he let them through than profit off of their deaths—and, ultimately, mine."

"Of course, these were the hacks who thought they could just sneak in through the front door, so they haven't exactly presented a challenge to our favorite spymaster."

"You are, of course, several steps up from such rabble."

"Of course. I, unlike them, am capable of forming a solid plan and carrying it to fruition—even if it takes years to come together."

"So this master plan of yours will take years?"

"Of course. First, Yuwen Yue has to marry Xing'er."

"Xing'er?!"

"Ironic, isn't it? But, yes, Yuwen Yue must unite the houses of Yuwen and...well...that detail's not important—not for you, anyway."

"Who is she?" Yuwen Huai asked, showing genuine interest in the woman for the first time. "I always knew she was more than just a maid—or my brother's lover, for that matter. Who is she, really? You have nothing to lose by telling me; after all, I'll be dead soon anyway."

"Yes, you will," the woman said, examining her nails in disinterest. "But the manner of death is entirely of your choosing."

"You have a way out for me that doesn't involve public humiliation and execution?"

"If you do the simple task I'll describe in a few moments, then I'll give you this."

She pulled out a nondescript brown pill from her robes and held it up before the bars, rolling it in her fingers.

"This will kill you painlessly in a matter of moments. If I deem that you've completed the task to my satisfaction, I'll slip this to you shortly afterward. Your manner and time of death will be completely in your hands."

Yuwen Huai stood up and swaggered over to the bars. He sneered at the princess of Liang and held out a hand, his skepticism showing in his entire bearing.

"Let me see it. After all, how do I know that you won't give me poison that will lead to a painful death instead?"

"Like the one you gave Yuwen Zhuo?" she asked, smirking. "That would be most unfortunate. While I'm devastated that you don't trust me, I'll prove that I trust you not to eat the pill now before our bargain is fulfilled."

She allowed him to grasp the pill and bring it to his nose. He sniffed the brown ball, allowing years of training to take over. His keen sense of smell identified the ingredients in the pill as those that would do precisely as the Liang spy claimed they would. Wordlessly, he handed the pill back to her, lips twisted in a smirk.

"So what do you want me to do?" he asked again.

"As I said, your task is a simple one—and something that you'll want to do anyway. All you'll have to do is..."

The Liang spy outlined what Yuwen Huai recognized to be only a small part of what was likely a much larger conspiracy. His smirk stayed on his face as his mind calculated the potential results of his actions should he take the spy's deal.

"While I've always been willing to do whatever was necessary to advance my standing within the Yuwen family and Chang'an society, I've always considered myself to be a loyal citizen of Wei. What you're talking about..."

He trailed off suggestively, and the Liang spy didn't even bother to prevaricate.

"Our plans are much larger than dealing with the Yuwen family or even the Eyes of God," she admitted. "Tell me, Yuwen Huai: What has Wei done for you? Where are your friends? Your allies? Those who love you? The only man looking out for you is the man who likely put you in here in the first place."

"So you think I'm innocent?"

"Of course not," she scoffed. "Your numerous failed attempts at poisoning Yuwen Yue are a joke within multiple organizations. You deserve to be here many times over. However, given what I know of you, I don't believe that you deliberately took a powerful drug with your wine. In fact, the entire setup is so overly convenient that I would be surprised to learn that your dear brother wasn't behind the affair."

"Your faith in me is heartwarming."

"Yes, I do have faith in you. I believe that you'll agree to the task I've set before you and that you'll be able to go to the underworld knowing that your actions will lead to much suffering for all who have wronged you. I'll ask you once again: What has Wei done for you?"

While Yuwen Huai could only remember bits and pieces of what he'd refer to for the rest of his admittedly short life as _that night_ , one thing he could recall with perfect clarity was the savage satisfaction he'd felt as his sword had bitten into his grandfather's body again and again. He also remembered the glee and delight he'd felt as he'd realized that Jile Pavilion was going to go up in smoke. Twisting his lips in acknowledgment, he made his decision.

"Let them all burn," he said, leaning against the bars and grinning at the beautiful spy.

"I knew we could come to an understanding," she said, pocketing the pill with deliberate motions. "Keep your part of the bargain when the opportunity presents itself, and I'll keep mine once you've set events in motion."

"Yuwen Huai will obey," he said with an exaggerated hand-clasp and bow.

The Liang spy merely gave him a well-formed smirk of her own before disappearing back into the darkness from which she'd come. He dropped gracelessly back onto his pallet and started thinking of all of the wrongs that Yuwen Yue and that slut of his had done to him. The memories aroused him anger, which he channeled into preparing his words for the opportune moment. After all, he wanted his suicide mission to be a success. If he were going to be a spy of sacrifice, then he was going to do his best to take as many enemies down with himself as possible.

* * *

The Grand Concubine had enjoyed her time at Qing Shan Yuan so far—as much as she was capable of enjoying anything, of course. While she still maintained that she was just a dead woman walking—not that she could even walk anymore—she had to admit that this place almost made her want to contemplate living again. Everyone here treated her with respect, and Yuwen Yue had thus far been kinder to her than any Yuwen male had before him.

While her request to live in the _tai fu ren's_ quarters had been more of a joke than an actual desire, she had to admit that the cozy warmth of the place had been good for her spirits. At first, the rooms had held that tinge of disuse and abandonment that all places got after being empty for a long time. Yuwen Yue had, of course, kept the rooms maintained—and had likely been gradually preparing them for Xing'er. Still, everything from the furnishings to the walls themselves had told her loud and clear that nobody had lived around them for years.

 _Not that I minded being surrounded by things that had, like me, been abandoned for years. How can I hold such a thing against this place when I myself am only just beginning to learn to live again? No, this place was as much a reflection of me as I have become of it._

Over the past week, the Grand Concubine had noticed that much of that musty smell had dissipated and had been replaced with the homier smells of incense, good food, and fresh flowers. The rooms had also lost that desolate air that had been present initially, giving way to a cozier glow that had come on partially as a result of her receiving a steady supply of visitors that had allowed her to use her voice consistently for the first time in years.

One such visitor was sitting across the table from her, although the _tai fu ren_ knew that the young woman currently sipping her tea would rather have been having lunch with her lover. Xing'er had followed the servants into the _da fu ren's_ quarters, grumbling to the Grand Concubine that the emperor had called Yuwen Yue to the palace right before lunchtime. The young woman's grumpiness had amused the _tai fu ren_ , so she'd readily agreed to eat lunch together.

While the Grand Concubine knew that she was a consolation prize of a lunch partner, Xing'er, to her credit, never treated her as one. The young woman brought her up to date on the variety of messages that she'd had the Cangwu bird take to Yuwen Yue, knowing that the _tai fu ren_ would appreciate the bloodthirsty nature of them. In her opinion, Xing'er was the perfect foil to Yuwen Yue's stoic stubbornness.

 _Of course, she's also incredibly naive about love and marriage, but who isn't at that age? I certainly was, and I know my niece was as well. But with a little guidance…_

"So what message are you planning on sending him tonight?" she asked.

"I'm running out of ruthless things to say," Xing'er admitted, frowning as she chewed a piece of meat in introspection. "Maybe I should surprise him with something nice and sappy just to get him to make that 'I want to smile but won't let myself' face."

The Grand Concubine couldn't keep a smirk from forming on her own face as she could immediately picture the expression Xing'er meant. Yuwen Yue may have been the best Yuwen male she'd ever known—which wasn't saying much, of course—but he could also be ridiculously uptight and stuffy at times. She'd noticed that Xing'er could often penetrate that air of self-important pomposity and force the young spymaster to demonstrate a few emotions now and then.

"You could send Yuwen Yue an insulting message about himself," she said, just to get a rise out of the young woman.

To the Grand Concubine's surprise, Xing'er actually agreed.

"I could call him stubborn and standoffish," she said, scowling. "And confusing. Cold one moment, then hot the next, then cold again. Willing to confide in me, then barely willing to spend a few moments with me, but then..."

Xing'er trailed off, blushing. The _tai fu ren_ could easily guess the nature of Xing'er's memories; after all, while Yuwen Yue might be more decent than the men of the Third Branch, he was likely just as passionate—especially when dealing with a woman who was as in love with him as he was with her.

 _How did I end up listening to the romantic woes of a young woman in love with a Yuwen man? To whichever deity I offended, I apologize profusely._

"So Yuwen Yue is being a typical Yuwen male," the Grand Concubine said. "As I told you before, he'll only tell you what you need to know when you need to know it—if he ever tells you anything at all. He almost can't help himself; to do so would be to fight years of training."

Xing'er's shoulders slumped as she let out a sigh before taking a long drink of tea. The _tai fu ren_ found herself losing patience with the situation and decided to get straight to the point.

"Do you want me to tell you the details he's holding back from you?"

Xing'er choked on her tea and her eyes bugged out in shock.

"I can, you know. I can tell you everything he's keeping from you. All of the dirty details. All of the truth behind the Third Branch's lies. All of the reasons I'm glad that bastard finally got what he deserved at the hands of a monster he helped create."

"I don't want you to tell me," Xing'er said. "I want him to tell me. I don't even care about the details, either, since I can piece them together for myself."

"Can you really?" the _tai fu ren_ said with a smirk. "I know you were his bedchamber maid. I know the rumors that have been swirling around here like leaves on the wind. However, judging by the way you blushed a few moments ago, I'm willing to bet that you've never actually been with a man in that way."

"I know enough about what men and women do together to understand the basics of what happened that night," she retorted.

"I'm sure you think you do," the Grand Concubine replied. "But one thing you'll learn on your wedding night—if Yuwen Yue can even control himself until then—is that Yuwen men aren't like other men. I can tell you what Yuwen Xi did to Yuwen Yue's mother...to my niece. Don't you want to know what happens when a Yuwen man takes a woman he desires into his bed?"

As Xing'er's eyes blazed and her face hardened, the _tai fu ren_ idly thought that she now understood why Yuwen Yue liked to needle her as much as he did. The young woman was quite striking in her anger—especially when it was burning on behalf of someone she loved.

 _She'll be able to handle his passion when the time comes,_ she acknowledged. S _he'll also make sure that he doesn't get too complacent and overconfident like so many other Yuwens have before him._

"You will not compare Yuwen Yue to that pathetic excuse for a man—or his useless bastard of a grandson, for that matter," she said.

"I meant no offense," the _tai fu ren_ lied. "I thought you were angry with him and would agree with me."

"I might be frustrated with his tendency to shut me out when he needs me, but I would never stoop so low as to compare him to any member of the Third Branch."

Xing'er bestowed one of her delightfully insincere smiles on the Grand Concubine.

"Present company excluded, of course."

 _Part of me wishes I could see Yuwen Yue's face the next time Xing'er sends one of those looks his way, but the rest of me knows how nauseating the experience would be. Yes, she will do quite nicely for him, I think. But this present situation can't continue; I won't let that young fool ruin the best thing that's ever happened to him with his...Yuwenness._

"Of course," the _tai fu ren_ replied, giving Xing'er an equally fake smile. "Your loyalty to your fiance is touching-even if he is unworthy of it. Now don't get angry at me again; I'm only speaking the truth. Yuwen men have a tendency to marry women of which they are unworthy, fail them spectacularly, leave them for dead, and then move on to the next conquest. Perhaps Yuwen Yue will be different, however."

"Of course he'll be different," Xing'er said through gritted teeth. "He loves me. He'd never abandon me or do anything to hurt me."

"Except hide the truth from you and then get mad at you when you call him on his dishonesty?"

Xing'er huffed in indignation.

"And do you really think that Yuwen Yue's the only man who's ever fancied himself in love with a woman before finding something—or someone—he loved more? Yuwen Yue's father thought he loved his wife, too, but he still left everything behind in the end in order to pursue fame and glory—and to escape the family scandal he helped create, of course. Typical Yuwen male..."

The Grand Concubine allowed the young woman's passionate rebuttals to roll over her, smiling on the inside at its naive sincerity while maintaining her superior smirk. She figured that she'd gotten the girl suitably riled up enough to be willing to follow the path on which she was about to set her.

"If you want answers, you're never going to get them from Yuwen Yue," she said after Xing'er's ranting had run its course. "Since you've already said you don't want them from me, then you'll have to find them from somewhere else—if you're willing to look hard enough, that is."

"Now you're starting to sound like Yuwen Yue," she muttered, standing up and starting to gather the empty dishes. "He never tells me anything, either."

"Tell me, Xing'er," the _tai fu ren_ said, ignoring the barb in favor of springing her trap. "Has Yuwen Yue ever taken you riding on the north portion of the Yuwen property?"

"Eh?" Xing'er blurted, clearly not expecting the question.

"I'll take that eloquent response as a 'no.' If you want to find some of the answers you seek, you would do well to take that monstrosity of a stallion out for a run. After all, both of you have been cooped up in here for the past week and are in serious need of some exercise. I think he'd enjoy exploring some new territory, don't you?"

"You want me to...ride my horse?" Xing'er asked in puzzlement.

"On the northern part of this property, yes," she confirmed. "I think you and your horse will find the journey most...enlightening."

Xing'er pretended to stifle a yawn before declaring that she needed to end lunch so that she could finally get some sleep. The Grand Concubine pretended to go along, even expressing a desire for some rest herself. The purposeful stride and the straight set of Xing'er's shoulders told her that her bait had been taken, however, and she contented herself with knowing that she'd done her part to put the young woman on the path to understanding her future husband—and his dysfunctional rat's nest of a family—better.

 _If nothing else, they'll at least manage to make each other angry and the sparks will fly. For all that I'm worried that he'll manage to ruin this relationship, I think he may have met his match in Xing'er. I have a feeling that those two are destined for many arguments—and many happy make-up sessions._

* * *

The hilly woods of the northern part of the Yuwen holdings closed in on Xing'er, but she and Cold Fire pressed on through the dimness. She'd taken the _tai fu ren's_ advice and had left Qing Shan Yuan as if going to her favorite riding field. Instead, she'd veered off towards the north and had soon stumbled upon what she'd initially assumed to be a small goat trail or hunter's path. Xing'er had quickly come to realize, however, that what she'd mistaken for a narrow trail was, in fact, the remnants of a much larger pathway.

 _A large carriage or wagon could've made it through here years ago,_ she mused as they continued to climb over the foothills. _Even the trees that have grown up on the edges of the pathway are small, as if they've only been here for 10 years or so._

While she had no idea what—if anything—awaited her at the end of the path, she knew that she'd never know a moment's peace until she found whatever it was that the Grand Concubine had wanted her to find. The infuriating woman had sent her into these dark, desolate woods for some reason, after all, and Xing'er felt that the _tai fu ren_ sincerely believed that the answers to her questions could be found in this forest.

With no warning, she crested a hill and found herself almost directly in front of an old, moldering entrance to what had obviously once been a great estate. Her eyes widened as they read the characters that spelled out the place's name in spite of their crooked, tarnished state.

"Hei Shan Yuan," she whispered, not daring to speak too loudly.

Cold Fire let out a nervous neigh, and Xing'er couldn't argue with him. The whole place seemed permeated with despair and desolation from its rotting supports to its crumbling rooftops. While the tiles of the roofs that she could see from the gates were an indistinct dark color, she knew from the name of the courtyard that they'd likely once been as black as night.

While the horse balked at first after she nudged his sides with her boots, he nevertheless clambered up the leaf-strewn stone stairs and crossed reluctantly through the gates. Leaves, branches, and various other types of debris littered the small area in which she found herself. She urged Cold Fire to pass through another entrance that led into what she instinctively knew would be a larger courtyard that resembled the place she now considered to be her home.

The only sound that greeted her ears was the clopping of her stallion's hooves as he clattered across the spacious courtyard. Everything was in complete disarray from one end of the space to the other; Xing'er could see no evidence that anyone had been here in the last 10 or 20 years. As in the outer open space, a forest's worth of dead foliage and sticks were strewn about what had once been a bustling area. She could easily envision cooks preparing food in what was now a ruined kitchen and iron bells hanging laundry over bamboo polls that had long ago lost their battle with the elements.

Doors and windows hung askew, and a half-rotten bucket lay overturned near a well that hadn't been needed for many years. The water in the ponds had grown brackish and contained copious amounts of rotting, floating objects at which Xing'er didn't want to look too closely. Pavilions, gazebos, walkways, and other unknown buildings were decaying together as if they'd all died at the same time.

The wooden bridge arching over the water creaked as Cold Fire crossed it warily, but it held their weight without cracking. Xing'er bypassed all of the smaller buildings, heading straight for the master suite that would stand the best chance of holding the answers she sought. The identity of this place had come to her as she'd stared at the walls that had yellowed with age but that she figured had once been painted a stately stark white.

 _Black and white. Yin and Yang. Perfect balance. Black trees against white hills. A perfect seasonal complement to green hills and red hills. A layout similar to that of Qing Shan Yuan but with elements of Hong Shan Yuan present as well._

She dismounted Cold Fire, who let his displeasure at her actions be known through a disapproving whinny. Xing'er ignored him, though, as she tied him up on a conveniently-placed rail in front of the master's quarters. A chill prickled down her spine as she realized that these wooden posts looked newer than those found elsewhere in the courtyard, and her senses sharpened anew as she scanned the area for interlopers or threats.

Xing'er sensed nobody but herself, however, so she continued up the steps to the grungy white door edged with faded black trim. She pushed it open as carefully as possible, but it still fell inward and landed with a bang that she knew had just alerted anyone in the area to her presence. Unwilling to turn back since she'd come this far, Xing'er cautiously stepped into what she suspected to have once been Yuwen Yue's father's rooms.

A thick layer of dust greeted her, and as her eyes adjusted to the dimness, she felt a wave of melancholy pass over her as she realized that, deliberately or not, Yuwen Yue had inherited his father's sense of order. She walked forward with more confidence, no longer feeling threatened by the darkness that wasn't so different from that which she'd encountered in her beloved's own rooms.

She avoided the moth-eaten, mildewed bed, not wanting to contemplate the unhappiness of the man who had once slept there and dreamed of better days. Instead of heading over to the table, she allowed her instincts to guide her once again, this time taking her to the desk area where she knew Yuwen Yue kept some of his important belongings.

Her eyes were now attuned to the scanty lighting, so she had no trouble recognizing a small, wooden box that was identical to the one from which Yuwen Yue had pulled his mother's flute in every way except for size. As if she were in a trance, she reached out for the box, grasping it and pulling it close for further inspection. Just as Xing'er had suspected, the box's design matched that of its larger counterpart.

She carefully wiped the dust off of it, only realizing in retrospect that anyone else who found this place would be able to tell that someone else had opened this box. Mentally shrugging, she carefully undid the clasp and lifted the lid, figuring that she may as well see what was inside if someone were going to discover her actions in the future anyway. A flash of white caught Xing'er's eye, and she briefly wondered if she'd stumbled upon a third flute.

Xing'er's fingers told her that the white object lying within the box was not a musical instrument but a roll of paper. She carefully prized the scroll out of its resting place, making sure that she didn't tear it or the box's lining in the process. After placing the box on the desk, she crept out of the room and sat down on an old stone bench not far from the master suite.

Although she suspected that at least some of the answers she'd been seeking were contained in this scroll, she found herself reluctant to open it up and read the contents within. After all, she knew that Yuwen Yue would be upset at her for even being here, much less for reading something that had been stored in such a manner in his father's rooms. Instead of trying to come up with justifications for her presence in the abandoned courtyard or for what she was about to do, she simply took the plunge and unfurled the first part of the scroll.

A gasp escaped her as she realized that what she was holding was a journal that had likely been written by Yuwen Yue's mother herself. The hand was feminine and fine, speaking of the breeding and privileged upbringing that Xing'er had lacked. What she had painstakingly learned as an adult, Yuwen Yue's mother had likely learned at a much younger age.

Xing'er quickly figured out that the journal began a few months after the attack of Yuwen Xi; parts of the text were blurry and blotchy as if they'd been distorted by tears. Of course, the scroll was obviously old and had been stored in a room that hadn't been tended in many years, so it might've become damaged through more mundane means. As Xing'er found her own tears starting to fall, however, she felt that her first instinct about the scroll's condition had been correct.

Time lost all meaning for Xing'er as she read the tragic tale of a woman who had been consumed by shame for an attack that had not been her fault and who had felt the sting of betrayal as everyone she'd cared about had turned on her as one and blamed her. After all, how could they have blamed the powerful, influential member of court? The woman had fallen deeper and deeper into despair as life had lost all meaning and she'd lost the will to live.

As Xing'er reached the end of the scroll, she realized with a start that the sun was beginning to set. She jumped to her feet in a panic, knowing that she had to get back to Qing Shan Yuan before anyone noticed she was missing. A flapping of wings told her that she was already too late, however, as the Cangwu parrot landed beside her on the weathered stone bench.

"So who knows I'm still gone?" she asked in resignation.

"Just me. Just me."

"Nobody sent you?"

"Just me. Just me."

Xing'er sighed in relief, figuring that the bird wouldn't bother to conjure up a lie that would be so easily disproved in such a short amount of time. As she studied her avian friend, an idea came to her as she remembered the small box that was inside the gloomy master suite awaiting the return of its tragic account to its rightful place.

"Can you...whistle?" Xing'er asked the parrot, feeling slightly foolish.

The bird stared at her in confusion.

"If I play something for you, could you whistle it back to me?"

The parrot's eyes blinked as he cocked his head in a position of listening. Still feeling like a fool, Xing'er played the opening bars of her and Yuwen Yue's favorite song. The notes drifted about the courtyard, seeming to breathe a bit of life into the dead decay all around them. She'd only intended to play the first few lines, but she could feel the song taking wing and wafting around the deserted courtyard. As the final note faded, she looked at the Cangwu bird expectantly.

"You don't have to whistle the whole thing," she explained. "Just the first bit will do."

Opening its mouth, the parrot proceeded to whistle back the entire melody, bringing tears to Xing'er's eyes as she imagined her beloved hearing the same thing in the middle of yet another long, lonely night of guard duty.

"Thank you," she whispered, wiping the latest batch of tears from her cheeks.

She stood up and walked towards the open door, not hesitating to pass through it this time. Replacing the scroll in the box, she did her best to conceal it in a place where anyone who pulled it out would hopefully assume that the dust had been wiped off in the process. Before she went back outside, she stood in the middle of the room and addressed Yuwen Yue's mother.

"I killed him," she whispered. "I killed him for you and for all the others he'd brutalized. You can be at peace now. He'll never harm anyone ever again."

As Xing'er mounted Cold Fire and took off at a trot across the courtyard, she could almost sense the conflicting feelings of the place buffeting against her. While she still felt the despair and abandonment of Hei Shan Yuan, she couldn't help but feel something drawing her there as well. She already knew that she'd be back—and that Yuwen Yue would be upset when he found out that she'd been here.

 _Because he will find out,_ her mind whispered to her as she rode down the crumbling stairs. _He always does._

Xing'er gave another mental shrug as she figured that, as always, she'd face her beloved's wrath when it came and, in the meantime, do her best to at least earn it so that it would be worthwhile. Her own anger and frustration at the man she loved had completely dissipated, knowing that the _tai fu ren_ must've told him at least some of the same things she'd just read in the scroll. She was, however, filled with a renewed sense of determination to provide comfort to her fiance when he was ready to receive it—after he'd gotten over his initial anger, of course.

* * *

AN: A month or so ago, I was hit with a bit of fridge logic that there must've been three courtyards because there were three brothers. QSY is the inherited property where the three brothers grew up. HSY seems larger and more ostentatious than QSY, so I assumed that the middle brother—YWY's biological grandfather—surely had an estate of his own. From this realization, the concept of Hei Shan Yuan was born. I set out to do some cursory research on Google/Wiki and ended up falling down a rabbit hole of Chinese color and architecture symbolism. Honestly, the clincher for me was seeing pictures of the dark black roof with stark white walls; I just said, "That's it." So if HeiSY is unrealistic, I apologize; this is the part where I remind everyone that I'm just a hick from the Southern US who doesn't know much about Chinese culture but who loves XingYue and PA.

Next chapter: Yuan Song investigation wrap-up/confrontation with Meng Feng; more time out at HeiSY; the Grand Concubine drops a bombshell. Two chapters: Emperor's discussion with Yuwen Huai; HeiSY gets a bit crowded; XC is announced/shows up (depending on whether or not I have room in the chapter). Three Chapters: ywh's sentencing; xc will cause trouble of some sort; xingyue wedding plans? Four Chapters: ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	9. Chapter 9

AN: This is already absurdly long, so I'll keep this short. I know this is MF/YS-heavy, but there are storylines I need to kick off that can't start until...well...you'll see. For those of you who don't have time to slog through this monstrosity of a chapter, the start of the XingYue scene has been bolded for your convenience.

* * *

As Yuan Song strolled down one of the enclosed wooden walkways of Hong Shan Yuan, he reflected that he preferred the more open, natural feel of Qing Shan Yuan to the ostentatious courtyard of the Third Branch. Of course, he cheerfully admitted to himself that he also preferred Qing Shan Yuan because of its inhabitants—some of which were particularly lovely. He'd spent a few more days at Qing Shan Yuan since the laundry incident, but some of the more observant maids had started to wonder why he was suddenly spending so much time with them.

 _Not to mention a certain assassin I've had to avoid,_ he thought, trying to ignore the pang he felt at the loss of Meng Feng's company.

The woman had clearly become suspicious of him, although he didn't know to what extent she suspected him. He'd caught her watching him several times, and he'd known that she hadn't been dogging his steps because she had a crush on him like several of the maids did. She'd always seemed to somehow know where he'd be and would often arrive just in time to hear a servant girl give up yet another incriminating tidbit of information.

 _So here I am, seeing what—if anything—I can coax out of the friendly, open inhabitants of Hong Shan Yuan._

Outside of the obvious reason for Yuan Song's fondness for Qing Shan Yuan, the main reason he'd focused his efforts there had been the closed-off nature of most of the workers of the Third Branch's courtyard. Not that he could blame them; after all, Yuwen Xi and Yuwen Huai weren't known for their compassionate treatment of their equals, much less their social inferiors.

 _But my father expects me to keep investigating, so here I am, heading for the kitchens._

Yuan Song had discovered that the kitchens were often the beating heart of any courtyard. Everyone had to visit the kitchens a time or two during the day, even if only in passing. After all, those tea trays and dinner dishes weren't going to transport themselves.

He emerged from the wooden walkway and made his way between the two buildings that he knew led to the kitchen area. As always, his eyes were drawn to the wreckage of Jile Pavilion, which had finally stopped smoking a few days ago. Much of the place had been made of stone, so it had turned into a locked oven as the fire had raged within. While the interior had been utterly destroyed, the stone walls would have to be demolished before anything could be done with the location.

 _Or maybe they'll just tear it all down and leave it empty as a monument to the Third Branch's excesses._

Right before he could round the final corner leading to the kitchens, a small form barreled around the bend and ran into him. He couldn't stop the grunt that erupted from within or the grimace that crossed his face. Instinctively, he reached out and steadied the thin, flat object that had impacted his stomach.

A soft but frantic cry reached his ears as the tiny servant girl standing before him started weeping. Yuan Song tried to reassure her, but she seemed inconsolable. He tried to make out her babbled mutterings, but all that he could gather was that she knew who he was and what she'd done and that she was going to die.

"Don't worry, miss," he said, giving the girl his most reassuring smile. "You're not going to die. Now had you spilled wine on me or something like that, I would've had to kill you."

To his surprise, the little maid reacted to his jest with a wail. The prince was not used to servant girls responding to his charms and jokes in this manner, so he was unsure of how to proceed next.

"You've finally come for me," the maid gasped. "I knew you would. I've been waiting for you."

For a moment, Yuan Song thought that the girl was going to proclaim her undying love for him.

"After all, I took the young master his wine. I gave him the tray. I was the last one to see him before…."

Yuan Song's nape hairs lifted as he began to understand what was happening.

"I didn't put anything in it! I swear! A'Hua wouldn't dare! I never did…"

"I'm sure you didn't," Yuan Song said, trying to comfort the girl with another reassuring smile. "Maybe we can talk over here," he said, trying to lure her into the relative privacy of the enclosed wooden walkway.

Another cry burst from the slave girl's mouth.

"You're going to kill me! I knew it! I knew you'd come for poor A'Hua!"

"I'm not going to kill you," Yuan Song said, shocked that nobody had come to investigate the cause of the racket that the girl was making.

 _Maybe the shrieks and tears of young girls are so common here that people have learned to ignore them._

"They told you, didn't they?" the girl asked, wild-eyed with fear. "Those two veiled slaves who serve the Grand Concubine! But how did they tell you? They're deaf and mute! They can't...but they did! They told on poor, innocent A'Hua!"

The girl went on wailing and moaning, but Yuan Song's brain was stuck on two phrases that blocked out all others and kept repeating in his head.

 _Two veiled slaves...deaf and mute...two veiled slaves...deaf and mute…_

"-and I set the fire because I was scared they'd find something in the wine and A'Hua would be blamed!"

Yuan Song's mind finally broke free of the offending phrases at this latest confession from the little maid. He grabbed the maid's arm and pulled her into the walkway, trying to achieve a modicum of privacy. Once the girl had calmed a bit, he resumed his questioning.

"Are you telling me that you set Yuwen Huai's rooms on fire?"

"A'Hua is already dead anyway, so why not tell the truth?" the girl said, tears streaming down her face. "As I said, I was the one who gave Young Master Huai his second pot of wine. He was already very drunk, and he simply sneered at me when I set the fresh one down and took the old one away."

"So he wasn't crazy before he drank the wine," Yuan Song clarified, causing another wail.

"A'Hua is so stupid! How could I admit such things? I didn't put anything in the wine, Your Highness! I swear it on my sister's grave! Ah, those two deaf mutes were so wicked to tell such vicious lies about poor, doomed A'Hua!"

"So you saw the two girls before you gave Yuwen Huai the wine?"

"I...I ran into them just like I did with you, Your Highness. They were really nice to A'Hua; they even helped me to pick up my tray and made sure I wasn't hurt. Why would they tell such lies about little A'Hua after acting so nice?"

"And so you set the fire, when? After Yuwen Huai had already set Jile Pavilion on fire?"

"Yes," the girl said, surprising Yuan Song by tilting her head proudly and firming her jaw. "And I lied, Your Highness. I'm not sorry I set the fire. Yuwen Xi killed my big sister at Jile Pavilion a month ago. Yuwen Huai saw me weeping over her fate and laughed at me. Once I figured out what had happened, I took my chance and knocked over a couple of lanterns and candles in his room. I'm not sorry. I've taken vengeance for my big sister. I'm ready to die."

Yuan Song gently cupped the servant girl's chin, raising it up so she could look him in the eye.

"Listen to me, A'Hua," he said. "You must promise to never tell another person what you've just told me. Promise me."

She gaped at him in shock and confusion.

"Do you understand?" he asked, his voice rising. "I don't care if my father himself calls you into his throne room, makes you kowtow before him, and commands you to tell him what you just told me. You can't do it. Promise me."

"You're...you're...not going to kill A'Hua?"

"No," he said, smiling softly at her. "I think you're very brave for doing what you did for your sister—and for telling me the truth. I'm not going to kill you, A'Hua. I'm going to protect you."

"So you're not mad about the fire?"

Yuan Song's mouth curved into a big grin despite his efforts.

"Not at all, A'Hua," he said, chuckling. "In fact, I think it's quite fitting."

"Why?"

"Because the Third Branch lost everything due to their cruelty towards their slaves and their alienation of their peers."

A'Hua stared at him in incomprehension, and he gave her a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry about anything, A'Hua. Just let me handle everything. Keep your head down. Go about your business. If anyone tries to get you to talk, say you've been bound to secrecy by royal decree. If they don't believe you, ask to be taken to Yuwen Yue; he'll protect you."

"He...he will? He won't want vengeance for his slain family members?"

"Not against you. After all, Yuwen Yue is a smart, fair man. He'll know you're innocent if you tell him what you just told me."

"But you just told me not to tell anyone ever."

"Well, you can tell Yuwen Yue. Or Xing'er. Or Meng Feng. Or Yue Qi."

"Mm."

"But nobody else."

Yuan Song went through the motions of reassuring A'Hua of his good intentions and of her likely safety if she kept quiet, but his mind was already at Qing Shan Yuan. He knew that he could no longer keep quiet about his discoveries, but he was unsure of how to broach such a sensitive topic with his close friends.

A single face formed in his mind, and he was forced to admit once again how much she'd come to mean to him in so short a period of time. He knew the time had come to tell the her the truth, but what he didn't know was how he was going to find the words to do so.

* * *

The bay horse Meng Feng was brushing neighed in appreciation as she continued to lavish it with attention. Xing'er had given her permission to ride this horse now that she had Cold Fire, so Meng Feng had decided to make the horse's acquaintance before lunch. She ran her fingers through its black mane, talking gently to the animal as it stared at her with its liquid brown eyes. The activity was as soothing to her as it was to the horse, and she found herself lost in thought as she continued the hypnotic motions.

Prince Yuan Song had continued his unusual behavior over the past several days. He'd come out to Qing Shan Yuan every day, spending time with maids, groomsmen, guards, and any others who might've seen something unusual before, during, or after the incident of almost two weeks ago. The prince had started avoiding her, treating her with a wariness that had both hurt and relieved her more than she'd like to admit.

A creaking of the main door brought her back to the present, and the man she'd just been thinking about appeared as if she'd summoned him with her musings. He gave her what he likely thought was a carefree smile, but it came across as more of a grimace. Cold Fire let out a whinny of greeting, causing Yuan Song to pale.

"I can see he remembers you," she couldn't resist saying.

"And he's greeted me with all of the fondness I expected him to display," the prince replied with a wince.

"I suppose you're used to being greeted with a bit more fondness from your loyal subjects."

"Mm. Some more than others."

"Are there people who are not displaying the proper degree of deference to you, Your Highness?"

"Well, I can honestly say I never expected a group of maids to ask me to help them with their laundry a few days ago."

Cold Fire neighed from his stall, giving the impression he was laughing at the prince.

"Oh, shut up, Cold Fire," Yuan Song grumbled at the horse. "You never learned respect for me, either."

"Ah, poor Prince Yuan Song. Your life must be so hard."

A shadow passed over his face.

"It can be, sometimes. As my excellent mother once pointed out, a life of privilege doesn't come without a high cost."

"I know. Sometimes you have to spend time around a horse that doesn't like you. Sometimes you have to ride over to a friend's house and chat with pretty girls all afternoon while they fawn all over you. I can see how that sort of thing could come to take a mental toll over time."

The look of open hurt on his face took her aback. While she'd said the words with a bit of an edge, she'd meant to keep the tone of the exchange light.

"Ah, yes, spoiled, wealthy Prince Yu'er," he spat. "He's only good for a laugh or the odd bit of heavy lifting. Everything always goes his way. What could he know of trouble or hardship? What responsibilities could he possibly have—or even be entrusted to carry out?"

"Your Highness, I never meant-"

"I know you didn't," he said. "No one ever does. Not even my own father-"

His eyes widened as he realized what he'd said, and he shut his mouth with an almost audible click. She'd never imagined that their conversation would take this type of turn, but she wasn't one to pass up an opportunity that had presented itself—or to ignore the advice of her instincts.

"I think we could both benefit from clearing our heads, Your Highness," she said, giving her horse a final pat before stepping away. "I've been wanting to ride this horse Xing'er gave me, and I can see that your own mount is here as well. Maybe we'll be able to talk better out in the open. Would you like to go for a ride?"

The boyish grin he gave her in response made her briefly forget that she was taking him outside for professional reasons only while making her realize that the prince himself was emotionally volatile. As if he could hear her thoughts, Yuan Song's expression grew more sober.

"That sounds like fun," he said, giving her a more cautious look.

"Have you eaten lunch, Your Highness?" she asked.

"I haven't," he said, shaking his head. "It's a bit early for lunch, isn't it?"

"Of course, but that doesn't mean that we can't have the servants set up something for us to eat later. I'm sure that you could convince some of your favorite maids to prepare you a meal fit for an emperor."

"I can't help it that the ladies of Qing Shan Yuan find me irresistible," he said, his playful nature shining through again.

"Is this another example of your hard life, Your Highness?" she asked, smiling to take the sting out of her words.

"Of course," he said, grinning back. "How can I live when the ladies of Qing Shan Yuan are following me around, flirting with me, begging to see me perform feats of strength, asking me to go on horseback rides with them..."

"So you've uncovered my dastardly plan," Meng Feng said, walking up to the prince and standing in front of him. "What are you going to do now?"

She felt the air grow heavy between them, and they stared into each other's eyes until he looked away a few moments later.

"I guess I've fallen into your trap and can't escape," he murmured. "I'm at your mercy."

An air of vulnerability seemed to swirl around the prince, and Meng Feng knew that she had to walk the line between careful deliberation and bold confrontation. This man had been avoiding her for the past couple of days, and now he'd found her in a place he likely wouldn't have randomly checked. He was flirtatious one moment and serious the next. He would give a smooth reply to a joking quip before seeming to remember that he had something serious to discuss with her.

"I'll go tell the groomsmen to saddle our mounts and the servants to prepare a meal for us," she said in a businesslike tone. "I'll also have them set up a table and chairs for us so that we can eat outside."

"Where are you taking me, Meng Feng?"

"To my secret lair in the underworld, of course."

"Ah. Of course. I should've known you had a secret lair in the underworld."

"Actually, I just want us to ride out to the cliffs. The view's lovely; it's not too far; there's a nice place to tie up the horses while we eat."

The prince gave her a mischievous smile before saying, "There actually is a secret lair in the underworld there—or at least there used to be, according to Yan Xun."

His spirits seemed to flag at the mention of his friend, so Meng Feng figured that the best way to improve his mood was to get them underway.

"You can tell me about it from horseback," she said before heading through the stable door and back out into the late morning light.

She gave out her orders, making sure that the maids knew that their hard work would benefit their favorite young prince. The servant girls gave excited squeals at the prospect of setting up a special meal for the handsome highness; Meng Feng knew that, one way or another, this was going to be an afternoon to remember.

Before too long, they were on their way, riding at a leisurely pace in order to give the servants time to assemble a luncheon in the clearing not too far from the cliffside. While Meng Feng couldn't help but enjoy the ride—and the company, of course—she still noticed a wary reticence that would come over the prince regularly.

"So tell me about this hidden underworld lair and how Prince Yan Xun came to know of it," she said as their horses ambled down the path.

A wistful smile crossed the prince's face before he began his tale.

"Yanbei is generally colder than Wei, so Yan Xun used to hide out in a cave inside the cliff face that was often as cool as his native land. He considered this cave a private retreat since it could only be accessed by climbing down the vines covering part of the cliff face. Yan Xun even had candles down there so that he could read and a rock that made a comfortable chair."

"I take it he didn't tell you about this place so that he could invite you down for tea?"

"Of course not. One day, he was reading a bamboo scroll and thinking of home when Xing'er suddenly swung into the cave on a rope."

"What?" Meng Feng asked, her eyes sparkling with humor. "What was she doing there?"

"I don't know all the details, but according to Yan Xun, she'd been engaged in a conflict with another maid at Qing Shan Yuan who had been bullying her mercilessly. This maid had, apparently, set a trap for Xing'er, so Xing'er returned the favor by setting a trap for the maid."

"A trap that involved...swinging into a cliff-front cave?"

"Of course," he said, grinning. "Would Xing'er ever set a normal trap for someone?"

"Of course not," Meng Feng said, doing her best to keep her voice steady. "I've only known Xing'er for a month or so, but I've never known her to do anything half-way."

"When Xing'er plots against you, you probably don't have long for this world—as the maid found out later, from what I understand. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Yan Xun said that, when he playfully threatened to expose Xing'er's location to the guards arguing at the top of the cliff, she pulled one of her small knives on him."

"I'll bet she did."

"Once the men were gone, she thanked Yan Xun profusely and even tried to kiss him. Yan Xun, being the gentleman that he is, refused."

"Um...Your Highness...are you sure that's what happened? That doesn't sound like Xing'er."

"Well, that's what Yan Xun said happened."

"Are you sure he wasn't...embellishing the story a bit? Why was he telling you the story at all?"

"Well, he knows that Xing'er and I are...friends, so I figured that he thought I'd find the story amusing. Why? What do you think his motive might've been?"

"Well, from what I've heard, Yan Xun cared for Xing'er deeply. Maybe he wanted you to think there was more between them than there was."

"So you think he tricked me?"

"I think His Highness wanted Your Highness to envy the adventure he'd had with Xing'er, and he knew that you would believe an exaggeration if it was attached to a mostly-truthful narrative. At any rate, that's an entertaining story, and I think we can enjoy it regardless of the reason behind its original telling."

Yuan Song smiled at her in gratitude, and she gave him a small, serene smile of her own. He seemed to have forgotten about his statements lauding Xing'er's ability to set people up, and she hoped that continued—at least through lunch.

When they arrived at the cliffs, she was amused to see that the maids had gone all-out in order to serve up a sumptuous spread for their beloved prince. Not even Young Master Yue himself would've likely rated such delicious dishes—and attentive service. As the serving girls set out the plates of food and poured the tea in the small cups they'd brought, Meng Feng barely managed to keep herself from rolling her eyes at the simpering, tittering maids as they made sure that His Highness was satisfied with the food they'd prepared.

Not that the servants ignored Meng Feng; on the contrary, they seemed to to hold her in high esteem as well. Of course, they didn't flirt with her, but they did provide her with solicitous service and kind words of their own.

She and Yuan Song talked in generalities during the meal, catching up on the events of the past few days. She told him about some of the adjustments they'd made to accommodate Hong Shan Yuan, and he told her about the latest plans for Chun'er's next birthday party. He regaled all of them with the tale of the first time he'd tried to ride Cold Fire, earning the fawning concern of the maids even after he'd assured them that he'd suffered no lasting injuries.

Meng Feng's eyes twinkled with amusement, but the prince didn't seem to mind in the slightest. In fact, he appeared to enjoy making her smile and laugh as if he could stave off reality by telling yet another self-deprecating story. She joined in with a few of her own, telling them a few sanitized tales about life in the Afterlife Camp.

All too soon, however, the maids had packed up the empty dishes and carried away the table and chairs. Yuan Song thanked them, and she had to smother a smile at the antics of the maids as they tried to get noticed by their favorite. Meng Feng also expressed her appreciation, and they responded with enthusiasm to her as well. She was confused about the reason behind their affection for her until one maid walked up to her and hugged her without hesitation.

"Thank you for standing up for us when nobody else would," she said before swiftly turning around and walking away.

Several of the other maids agreed, giving her shy smiles as they also left. Yuan Song's good mood had obviously dissipated, and Meng Feng knew that the time of reckoning was at hand. She walked with him over to the edge of the cliff and stared out at the wild scenery beyond it—and the bottomless chasm beneath it, of course.

"They're right, you know—at least in part," he said without looking at her. "You did stand up for them when nobody else would—but you weren't the only one who saved them in the end, were you?"

"About a month ago, my former master gave me the order to assassinate Young Master Yue and anyone who tried to get in my way," Meng Feng said, clearly surprising the prince with the seeming _non sequitur_. "What most people don't know is that I almost succeeded. Xing'er met me at the door to Young Master Yue's rooms, and we fought until I incapacitated her."

"You beat Xing'er in a fight for Yuwen Yue?" he blurted, impressed and horrified at once.

"I guess you could look at it that way," she acknowledged. "However, had I carried out those orders, I would've either died by now or wished myself dead. I trusted my instincts, trusted Young Master Yue, and trusted the friends I'd made in the Afterlife Camp."

"And now you serve Yuwen Yue—and would do anything to help the man who gave you a new life."

"I've only known Young Master Yue for a little over a month and I already know that I want to serve him for the rest of my days. In light of those feelings, I can hardly blame you for being willing to do anything for the man who gave you life."

Meng Feng could sense that they were at the precipice in every sense of the word, so she wasn't surprised when, after an involuntary look of panic had crossed Yuan Song's face, his shoulders slumped and he seemed to fold inward like a crushed lantern. With an expression of miserable guilt, he told her of his father's orders, the information he'd uncovered, and his resolution to tell her everything rather than ruin good lives over bad people.

While she was proud of her perceptiveness in regards to the young prince, she was alarmed that the emperor suspected them not only of involvement in Yuwen Xi's death but also of general treason against the throne. As any good assassin would, she ran through the options that she could take to avoid disaster for her master and his family—not to mention her own people.

 _I could shove him over this cliff,_ she thought dispassionately. _He'd never see the push coming, and the emperor would have to either send someone else out to investigate the matter or decide he doesn't care enough about Yuwen Huai to pursue the issue._

Some of her thoughts must have shown in her eyes, because Yuan Song took a fearful step back as an expression of deep hurt formed on his face.

"Could you really kill me, Meng Feng?" he asked softly.

"Of course I could," she replied. "To protect my master, his family, my people...What bargain do you think I made with Yuwen Yue? To help him do his laundry and entertain his guests?"

"Then why didn't you just do it? You're a killer. You could've disposed of me with no trouble at all."

Meng Feng kept her features even, unwilling to show him how much his labeling her a killer hurt. Not, of course, because the label was untrue, but because she'd just realized how much more she wanted to be.

"Well, for starters, everyone and his horse knows I'm out here with you. If I knock you over the cliffside, your admirers will sing like Cangwu parrots about your last known whereabouts. Besides, the emperor's already suspicious of us, so his son disappearing on our property would likely not make him more sympathetic to us."

She sighed before making her final point.

"I may be a killer, but I'm done with killing the innocent and the good. You came to me in good faith, which means that you likely don't want to tell your father about what you've learned here. Or maybe you're going to try to blackmail us, in which case I may as well kill you anyway."

The prince's eyes widened comically as he sputtered frenzied denials. She kept her face tranquil, but she allowed her eyes to sparkle with humor so that he knew she was teasing him. A ridiculous idea flitted through her mind, and once she'd thought about it, she couldn't get it out of her head. Meng Feng allowed the fit of recklessness to take her, accepting that this man was likely always going to bring out that side of her—especially when he made _that face._

"Actually, I think I want to see if your secret cave is still around," she said, eyes gleaming.

"Yuwen Yue had that shut down ages ago," Yuan Song said. "Besides, the only way to get down to it is to climb down...the...vines...Um, Meng Feng? What are you-?"

She quickly found the cluster of vines that grew over the side of the cliff, and she tested them to ensure that they were as stable as they'd been for Xing'er and Yan Xun. Ignoring the prince's warnings, she climbed over the side, swiftly making her way down the vine as if it were one of the ropes she'd trained on in the Afterlife Camp.

The opening wasn't too far down the cliff face—and she could tell that it was unblocked. She yelled as much up to the prince, inviting him to come down and explore it with her. Part of her didn't expect him to take her up on her offer, but she was pleasantly surprised to see him gingerly grab hold of the vines and climb down them with slow, steady competence.

She easily dropped into the cave, noting that it was just big enough for a person or two to sit inside it without feeling too claustrophobic. Erratic scrabbling from outside reached her ears, and she stuck her head out of the entrance in time to see Yuan Song almost lose his grip on the vine. Meng Feng pulled him quickly inside, stilling as he stumbled into her and looked down into her eyes.

"I knew you couldn't kill me, Meng Feng," he murmured as potent emotions arose between them.

"Your Highness-"

"I just betrayed my father for you, Meng Feng. We're currently standing inside of a secret cave after you saved me from falling to my death. I think we've moved beyond formality."

"Okay, Your H...um...Prince-" she stopped as he made a comically sour face. "Yuan Song?"

The smile he gave her briefly distracted her and caused her wary side to shriek at her in protest. She ignored it.

She took a step back into the small cave, noting the partially-burned candles that were resting in candelabra and on flat surfaces around the space. Its appeal was obvious, and she could understand why Yan Xun had spent hours here. Of course, her current company also contributed to the feeling of contentment she found in her current surroundings. Their eyes connected again, and she could see thoughts in them that he likely didn't even understand.

"I have to teach you to lie," she whispered, startled to realize she'd spoken aloud.

"What?"

"Your lying skills are nonexistent. Normally I'd say that's a good thing as it indicates a high level of honesty, but in this case-"

"-honesty could get a bunch of people killed."

Meng Feng nodded soberly.

"So I'm going to teach you how to lie," she said before taking a deep breath. "Okay. Pretend I'm your father."

"You're much prettier than my father."

"That's a relief. The emperor shouldn't be prettier than your mother, right?"

"Right, right, right!"

"Pretend I'm your father, and tell me how the investigation's going."

Just as she'd known he would, he instantly tried to blank his face of all emotion.

"It's going as well as can be expected, Your Majesty. I've talked to a bunch of the maids, but they've told me nothing of use. I'll just have to keep asking questions and waiting for good answers."

His face fell at the look on hers.

"That wasn't very good, was it? He's going to know I'm lying, isn't he? My father wouldn't be too angry at me if I were to just tell him that I confessed the details of my mission to an Afterlife Camp assassin, would he?"

Meng Feng couldn't resist smiling at the prince's gallows humor.

"The key to lying well is to make your falsehood seem so natural that it's believable. You don't want to try to conceal the truth from people; you want to make them believe your version of the truth."

"So I need to focus more on convincing my father of my lack of knowledge rather than hiding my knowledge from him?"

"Right. Concealing emotion works well for someone like Yuwen Yue, who has been trained from youth to do so. You, on the other hand, have an open, honest face that could convince anyone of anything if you use it well."

"I do?"

"You do. So, once again, pretend I'm your father and tell me about your investigation so far."

"It's going well, Your Majesty," he said, giving her a carefree smile. "I mean, I get to spend my afternoons talking with pretty girls and spending time with a good friend. I haven't learned anything suspicious—except that I think a bunch of the maids have crushes on me. That's not the kind of information you're after, though, is it, Your Majesty?"

"Not exactly, Son," Meng Feng said, trying not to laugh. "So you've found nothing of value? No information about the way things were in Qing Shan Yuan the week before the attack? No one bragging about knowing something nobody else does? No suspicions about Yuwen Huai having been poisoned rather than intoxicated?"

"Of course not, Your Majesty," he said, an expression of naive confusion gracing his face. "I've only been talking to some silly maids. What could they possibly know? They're all happy that Yuwen Xi is dead because he apparently used to scare them, but they all seem to think the Third Branch was judged by the heavens and found wanting. Who are they to argue with fate?"

Yuan Song's face fell again as he saw her shaking her head.

"That was better, wasn't it?" he asked. "I didn't think it was that bad."

"No, it wasn't, Your...Yuan Song. In fact, it was too good. If I teach you to lie so well, how will I be able to tell if you're lying to me?"

"I would never lie to you, Meng Feng," Yuan Song murmured, his honest eyes showing her the truth of his assertion.

"You shouldn't make a promise like that, Yuan Song," she said. "You never know when you might need to deceive me."

The air grew heavy between them again as he took a step closer to her. He raised his hand towards her face but dropped it to her shoulder at the last possible second before he would've made contact. Even in the dimness of the cave, she could see the confusion and conflicting emotions in his eyes as his thumb lightly caressed her shoulder.

"I will never lie to you, Meng Feng," he vowed. "I will never hurt you. I will do everything I can to protect you, Yuwen Yue, Xing'er..."

At the mention of the woman that Meng Feng knew he cared for, he drew his hand back, guilt clearly written on his face. She took the opportunity to step away from Yuan Song in an effort to regain some mental equilibrium.

"I'll do everything I can to protect you, too, Yuan Song. Thank you for trusting me; I promise to never lie to you, either. Well, unless I feel like I have no choice. Or if Yuwen Yue orders me to. Or if I feel like you're trying to deceive me. Or-"

"I get it," Yuan Song said, grinning and shaking his head at her teasing before sobering up again. "I'm sorry that my father has forced me to do this, Meng Feng. I never wanted to..."

"I know," she assured him. "However, I don't find his actions particularly unreasonable."

"You don't?!"

"Not at all. He's the ruler of the land, and he's obligated to see justice done for his subjects—even if the ones wronged were terrible people. If he suspects someone of wrong-doing, he should have that person investigated."

"Even if that means you're under suspicion?"

"Of course. Why should I be above the law? If you're suspicious of me, then you should turn me in. That would be the right thing to do."

He gaped at her, but she hid her intentions from him.

"So you...want me to tell my father I suspect you had something to do with...that night?"

"Do you?"

"Well..."

He looked at her uncertainly before comprehension dawned in his eyes.

"I'm not quite ready to face my father, am I?"

"You still have a lot to learn, Yuan Song—but you'll get there. I know you will."

"You do?"

"Of course. Don't you?"

Doubt filled his eyes at first, but it was gradually replaced by a look of resolution and maturity that sent shivers down her spine. For an instant, she saw the man he could be—the man who could rule all of Wei if he put his mind to doing so.

 _The man who could make you a fine hus-_

Her wary side shut the door on that thought, but she was in full agreement with that voice for once. She knew that she could never have a romantic relationship with the man standing before her, but she knew that she could help him to become the man he wanted to be.

"I do," he agreed, his eyes blazing into hers with an intensity that left her breathless as they stood there in the dimness of the secret cave.

"We should get back," she murmured, noting the position of the sun in the sky from the mouth of the cave. "Xing'er should be going to sleep soon, and I need to get ready for watch."

"And I need to..."

"Avoid your father," she said, smiling as he nodded emphatically.

 _Actually, I need to clear my head and go somewhere I can think. Maybe I'll escort Yuan Song out of Qing Shan Yuan before heading over to the racing field. I could give both my horse and my brain a workout._

* * *

The piping notes of a lullaby echoed around the _da fu ren's_ chambers of Hei Shan Yuan as Xing'er played her flute for Yuwen Yue's mother. She'd come back to the abandoned courtyard with the intention of exploring since Yuwen Yue had been called to the palace again, but she'd known that she would likely visit these rooms first.

Xing'er had noted that, like the master suite, the doors and windows to this area had been kept firmly shut. Many other buildings around the courtyard had been left to rot, but Xing'er found the odds of these few rooms alone not being left open to the elements to be slim. While a thick layer of dust had greeted her as she'd carefully opened the door, she'd been able to tell that care had been taken to leave this space as a shrine to better days.

She sat in front of a vanity, looking at her dim reflection in a dust-shrouded mirror as she let the notes of the soft song take wing. The same air of despair that pervaded the entire courtyard seemed especially potent here, but Xing'er was unafraid. After all, she was, in a sense, the woman's avenger and her son's fiance, so how could her spirit be angry at her?

As the final notes of this verse of the lullaby faded away, a nervous neigh ripped apart the silence of the courtyard—not to mention Xing'er's assumption of being alone. She withdrew her small crossbow and locked its limbs before pulling back the string and latching it in place. Settling a bolt in firing position, she slowly stood and crept towards the open door.

The familiar cadence of the horse's hooves caused her to relax her stance and disarm the crossbow before restoring it to its place in her robes. Xing'er's eyes shone with amused resignation as she returned to her seat at the vanity, pulling out her flute and beginning another stanza of the lullaby. She saw no reason in trying to hide from her visitor, who would have no difficulty finding her even if she tried to conceal herself.

Meng Feng walked cautiously into the dim room as the song ended, looking around in uneasy fascination at the contents of the room. As Xing'er had known she would, the former assassin had clearly figured out whose room she was standing in and whose courtyard this had been. They stared at each other mutely before Xing'er pocketed the flute and stood once more.

"I saw you heading in the direction of the racing field as I was seeing Yuan S...His Highness off, and I figured that a bit of fast riding would do me good."

"Mm."

"Just as the field came into view, I saw you veer off towards the north, and I was curious since I hadn't ridden in that direction yet."

"Mm."

"I came upon this place so suddenly, and I could see hoofprints in the leaves, so..."

"So you decided to explore the abandoned courtyard on the Yuwen property."

"That sounds a bit more respectable than, 'I was curious so I came right in,' doesn't it?"

"Mm."

"You know Young Master Yue will be upset once he finds out we were here."

"Mm."

"And yet you came here anyway?"

"Mm."

Xing'er could tell that the former assassin was getting exasperated with her answers, so she decided to have mercy on the woman.

"The _tai fu ren_ told me that I could find answers here, and she was right. I knew I wasn't ever going to get those answers from Yuwen Yue, so I sought them here instead."

"Mm."

Xing'er gave the woman a small, wry smile before leading the way out of the room. She noticed that Meng Feng seemed to breathe easier once they were out of the oppressive dimness of the _da fu ren's_ quarters. The fact that such a normally unflappable woman was discomfited by something so non-threatening amused Xing'er, but she kept her thoughts to herself.

"Since we're both here, we may as well explore some more," Xing'er said.

Meng Feng hesitated for a few moments before she gave a resigned sigh.

"I suppose Young Master Yue won't be any more angry with us if we look around a bit than he would if we left right now."

"Right," Xing'er said, smiling at the other woman. "Besides, Yuwen Yue's always upset about something anyway. At least this will give him something new to be upset about."

"I'm sure he'll agree with that logic," Meng Feng said, looking around the courtyard in curiosity.

Xing'er deliberately turned her back on the _tai fu ren's_ rooms and walked along the strip of buildings near it on the main courtyard. Unlike the places she'd already explored, these buildings had clearly been left to decompose unattended. Doors leaned crazily if they were present at all, and many windows had been allowed to blow open or decay. The elements and the local wildlife had invaded these rooms without mercy.

"I take it you've already looked around the master's quarters," Meng Feng said as they approached another row of buildings.

"Mm."

"You found the answers you were looking for."

Xing'er was tempted to give the woman yet another grunt, but she decided to be charitable.

"Yes," she said, glancing over her shoulder at the forlorn master suite. "Part of me wishes I hadn't. The rest of me feels I needed to know—for his sake."

Meng Feng nodded once before lapsing into silence, obviously not feeling the need to fill the quiet with useless conversation. This suited Xing'er as well, and both women continued to prowl around the abandoned courtyard. A small garden area fascinated them for awhile since it was one of the few places that now looked more alive than it likely had in the past. Without the tyranny of the gardeners, flowers and bushes had run wild, taking over the once-organized space.

"As beautiful as Qing Shan Yuan is, this..." Xing'er allowed her voice to trail off as she took in the untamed beauty around her.

"I'm sure Young Master Yue would love to take gardening advice from a bunch of spirits," Meng Feng said, her eyes sparkling.

"Like he can take credit for the shape of the gardens," Xing'er muttered. "I've done more gardening around Qing Shan Yuan than Yuwen Yue has."

Meng Feng was quiet for a few moments before saying, "Me, too."

The two shared a conspiratorial glance as the abandoned courtyard continued to work its magic on them. Xing'er could remember a few times from her childhood when she'd taken time off from her rigorous training regimen to play make-believe with her siblings, allowing herself to leave the real world behind for a time of exploration and adventure. This outing had that feel to an extent, and the woman at her side made a braver, bolder partner in crime than her sisters.

"So tell me about your lunch with His Highness," she said, giving Meng Feng a small, mischievous smile. "What did you talk about? Did he regale you with details about Chun'er's upcoming birthday party? Did you manage to keep his attention from wandering to the simpering maids?"

To Xing'er's surprise, Meng Feng didn't seem to find her questions as amusing as she'd anticipated. A mixture of emotions passed over the assassin's face before finally settling on a sober wariness.

"Have you noticed that Yuan Song has been coming out to Qing Shan Yuan every day since a few days after that night?" Meng Feng asked.

"I guess I'd noticed, but I hadn't had the time or the energy to think anything of it," she admitted. "I take it from your demeanor that you've managed to get the truth out of him about the reasons behind his visits."

"Mm."

"Now you're starting to sound like me," Xing'er said, a sudden flush of nervous energy compelling her to leave the wild garden behind.

"I take it that word spread pretty quickly about our picnic," Meng Feng said in what seemed like an obvious attempt to stall for time.

"The maids were all atwitter about your meal with _Yuan Song_ ," Xing'er said, unable to resist needling the woman about her use of the prince's name without his title.

Xing'er received another shock as she detected a mild blush on the assassin's cheeks. Part of her tried to attribute the small splotches of color to having recently been out in the sunlight, but nowhere else on the woman seemed to be similarly affected.

"You should've seen the food and service I had to put up with," Xing'er continued, shaking her head in mock despair. "With Yuwen Yue gone to the palace again and you two eating out at the cliffs, I got stuck with a lunch that was one step above Cold Fire's hay—and several maids who were resentful that they had to bring me food instead of their favorite prince and their champion."

"Maybe there was some other reason for their discomfort," Meng Feng said, glancing at more of the ruined buildings as they walked past.

"Right," Xing'er said, rolling her eyes. "Maybe they were resentful that they missed out on the exercise they would've gotten by walking out to the cliffs. No, I think they find the view at the cliffs more interesting than the one to be found in my room—especially when His Highness is there."

"Well, their behavior is hardly surprising," Meng Feng said. "After all, he's handsome, wealthy, charming, and gregarious. What's not to like?"

"I don't know, Meng Feng," Xing'er said, ready to get to the point. "You tell me."

Meng Feng's expression turned wary again, and she actually glanced around the courtyard as if she expected a spy to be eavesdropping on them. Before she could answer, however, they both stopped in front of a door that was the only one that was still intact on that row of buildings. They looked at each other in perplexity before Xing'er once again decided to get to the point by carefully opening the doors.

"I've gotten good at this," she said as she stepped across the threshold. "The first time I opened a door here, it fell in."

Meng Feng didn't bother to reply as she followed Xing'er into the small room. The layer of dust that greeted them on entry was even thicker than any they'd yet encountered. Xing'er figured that, if anyone had visited the master suite and the _da fu ren's_ quarters, they had done so without coming here.

 _And yet the doors and windows were all tightly shut._

Now that her eyes were adjusted to the gloom, Xing'er began to prowl around the little space. A small bed draped with moth-eaten, mildewed bedclothes took up a decent portion of the room, as did a tiny table and chair set that looked like it hadn't hosted a meal in ages. Dusty lumps on a corner table turned out to be carved animal figurines, and a little wooden sword rested on a miniature sword rack.

Xing'er gasped as she grasped a baby bamboo flute that bore a solid if child-like resemblance to the one she'd recently tucked away in her robes. Meng Feng's eyes widened as well as the spy realized where they were. Another look of discomfort passed over the former assassin's face, and Xing'er couldn't blame her. She, of course, felt like she had a right to be here, but she understood why the spy did not.

 _First things first,_ Xing'er thought as she silently closed the door.

"There," she said, coming to stand next to the other woman in the dimness. "Now nobody can overhear us. First, you're going to tell me why Yuan Song's been coming out here every day. Then..."

Xing'er sighed before squaring her shoulders in determination.

"Then we're going to clean this place up."

To Meng Feng's credit, she objected to neither statement. In her typical no-nonsense fashion, she unfolded a straightforward tale of observation, decision, discretion, and revelation. Xing'er would've believed that the events had been as sterile and impersonal as Meng Feng had described them had she not seen the expressions on her face and the blush on her cheeks beforehand.

 _And yet what could I say to her?_ Xing'er thought as Meng Feng gave what she could tell was a sanitized account of her cave adventure with Yuan Song. _Not to have feelings for a man above her station? Not to fall for a man of integrity and honor? Not to spend time with a man who makes her feel alive? Somehow I don't think she'd take me seriously. Besides, she's a grown woman with more life experience than I have. I think she can handle herself—and a single naive prince._

"So we need to find some tidbit of information that will keep the emperor from getting too suspicious about his son's inability to turn up anything useful while not incriminating ourselves in the process," she summed up.

"Right."

"Mm."

"Mm."

"We can think about it while we clean," Xing'er said, striding up to the door and pulling it open. "Cleaning always help me to focus on what's really important."

"Really?"

"No. But when you have no choice but to clean, you can at least take advantage of the lack of thought necessary to carry out your tasks."

"True," Meng Feng said. "I felt the same way about stake-outs and information-gathering."

"Isn't that the truth," Xing'er agreed as they cut across the courtyard.

"Do you know where you're going, Xing'er?"

"This place seems to be laid out like Qing Shan Yuan with a bit of Hong Shan Yuan mixed in, so I'm assuming that the supply room will be in a similar place."

She was proven correct as they reached a room that had once been neat and tidy but was now a mess.

"As a cleaning room, this doesn't inspire much confidence," Meng Feng said, eyeing the cleaning supplies doubtfully.

"I'm sure Yuwen Yue could come up with a pithy proverb about life sometimes involving taking cleaning supplies from a dirty room," Xing'er said as she scrounged for a bucket that wasn't rotten.

"Of course, Xing'er," Meng Feng said, straightening her shoulders and blanking her face in an uncanny mimicry of Yuwen Yue. "Sometimes the cleaning room of life gives a person only dirty supplies, but the good spy knows how to adapt and overcome."

Xing'er tried not to laugh, but Meng Feng had captured her beloved so thoroughly that she couldn't help herself. The other woman maintained her facade of seriousness for a few moments longer before losing her composure as well. As the sound of their laughter rang throughout the courtyard, Xing'er wondered how long the decaying buildings and debris-strewn walkways had had to wait to hear such noises again.

They managed to find enough materials to at least begin the cleaning process, so they took their old rags, buckets, and brooms with them to Yuwen Yue's boyhood room. Carefully propping open the windows in order to let in more fresh air and light, Xing'er set to work on dusting off the set of toys in the corner. Meng Feng did the same with the table and chairs, both of them working in companionable silence.

"So have you solved our problem yet?" Meng Feng asked as she wiped the dust and cobwebs off of a candelabrum.

"I don't know any secrets we could actually tell Yuan Song without incriminating ourselves," Xing'er admitted as she began sweeping the floor. "Besides, Yuwen Yue only tells me secrets when he feels that I need to know them—which is rarely. If it weren't for the _tai fu ren_ , I wouldn't even have found...out...about..."

They stopped their work and looked up at each other, their eyes meeting in understanding.

"What if you were to just happen to tell His Highness in passing that nobody knows more Yuwen family gossip than the Grand Concubine of Hong Shan Yuan?"

"I think he would probably want to meet such an intriguing woman," Meng Feng responded in kind.

"Let me talk to Yuwen Yue first," Xing'er said before scowling. "Just because he frequently leaves me in the dark doesn't mean that I think doing so to him in this case would be a good idea."

"I take it you'll also tell him about Yuan Song's mission—and his innocence?"

"Don't worry, Meng Feng," Xing'er said, smirking. "I'll make sure that Yuwen Yue knows your lunch companion is on our side."

Meng Feng's eyes glinted, and she retaliated by saying, "You'd better, or else I might accidentally tell Young Master Yue where we had this discussion."

Xing'er smiled grudgingly.

"I think we all have secrets we'd rather not be revealed," she admitted.

"Mm," Meng Feng agreed. "Speaking of which, we should probably go back to Qing Shan Yuan now unless we want people to get suspicious of us. You might even be able to take a nap before supper."

Xing'er wasn't holding her breath in that regard, but she merely grunted in affirmation as they tucked their cleaning supplies in a corner of the room for later use and carefully shut all the windows and doors. She had many tasks left to do, and many problems to solve—not the least of which was how to approach Yuwen Yue with this latest bit of bad news.

* * *

 _ **While** eating lunch with a tired, adorably-grumpy Xing'er on my lap can't solve all of my problems, it sure can make them seem less important, _Yuwen Yue mused as he took another bite of his meal.

Xing'er promptly lifted her teacup to his lips and let him drink from it, giving him a pout that almost caused him to abandon his meal for her mouth. He managed to control himself, however, figuring that he would have time for more pleasurable pursuits later. Of course, he knew that he wouldn't be able to spend too long with his fiance due to the amount of work they still had to do, but he was determined to carve out a bit of time with his beloved.

Yuwen Yue had been prevented from eating breakfast at Qing Shan Yuan thanks to the prison warden needing to discuss the particulars of Yuwen Huai's care. Of course, Yuwen Yue had known that the man had simply been looking for a larger payout from a wealthy relative of a high-profile prisoner, and he had known from the beginning that he'd likely have to give more money to the warden the longer his so-called brother's imprisonment lasted.

 _Corruption truly is universal-from the lowest iron bell to the man who sits on the throne._

"So did my parrot accurately warn you of my lateness?" Yuwen Yue asked his beloved as if her sitting on his lap at lunch had been the norm for weeks now.

As he'd expected, Xing'er scowled at him before saying, "He said that part twice—then proceeded to demand his breakfast from me as usual."

"Did you give it to him?"

"I was going to make him go without on general principal; after all, if you weren't going to get to eat, then why should that pest?"

"But…?"

"But Meng Feng took pity on us both and insisted on taking my place at the gate."

"Smart woman."

Xing'er nodded in agreement.

"Had she not done something, that irritating pest never would've shut up."

"Yes, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said pensively. "You can be quite difficult when you're tired and hungry."

"Yuwen Yue! You-!"

The spymaster ate another piece of chicken with satisfaction as his fiance continued to sputter in indignation. She was already mad at him for failing to acknowledge her pitiful attempt at getting a rise out of him, so he figured he'd add a bit of fuel to the fire. After all, his Xing'er was adorably gorgeous when she was angry.

After an endearing struggle with her self-consciousness, Xing'er had done her best to nonchalantly arrange all of the dishes in front of Yuwen Yue before sitting on his lap with an expectant look on her face. He had simply looked down at her with his typical serene expression, refusing to give her the satisfaction of a reaction. She'd blurted out his line about not needing a reason to eat lunch on her fiance's lap, and he'd blandly agreed with her before taking a sip of tea. Her frustration had been building ever since, and Yuwen Yue knew that it was soon going to explode in an eminently gratifying manner for both of them.

"So tell me, Xing'er. Did anything eventful happen while I was gone last night?"

"Nothing."

"Absolutely nothing?"

"Well, I overheard one of the cooks saying that one of the Yue guards had told her that one of the iron bells got caught in the stables with a groomsman in a compromising position. Is that the kind of news you had in mind?"

Yuwen Yue tightened his left arm around his woman, anticipating the moment when he would strike.

"So something must've happened after lunch while you were supposed to be sleeping, then."

"Who says anything happened?"

"You look guilty."

"Why would I look guilty, Yuwen Yue?"

"How will I know unless you tell me, Xing'er?"

"Maybe I don't feel like telling you anymore," she said, pouting up at him.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Okay," he repeated, taking one of the last few pieces of chicken in his chopsticks. "If you don't want to tell me whatever is bothering you, then I'll just have to respect your privacy."

"You? Respect my privacy? Since when?"

"I've always respected your privacy, Xing'er," he said. "I can't help that you've sometimes misunderstood the motives behind my decisions."

"I understood everything perfectly," she muttered. "Xing'er's not the one who misunderstood."

"What was that, Xing'er?"

"I said that you're always so misunderstood, Yuwen Yue," she said, her round eyes full of fake sincerity and sympathy. "It's very sad."

He stared down at her placidly, already anticipating her next move and eagerly awaiting the opportunity to take his own vengeance.

"Yes, it is sad, Xing'er," he said as she held her teacup up to his mouth again.

As he drank, he heard the expected swish of Xing'er's chopsticks moving through the air as they plucked the final piece of meat from the plate and brought it to her waiting mouth. She smirked up at him in triumph as she deliberately chewed the chicken before sticking her tongue out in a victory celebration.

With no warning, he dropped his own chopsticks to the table and grabbed the back of her head with his hand, angling her face up towards his and capturing the wayward tongue. Xing'er let out a bleat of shock before placing her own hands around the back of his neck—chopsticks and all—and pulling him closer to herself. She opened her mouth to him fully, and he took his time exploring its own intoxicating flavor mingled with that of the last piece of meat.

"I think we should both enjoy the last piece of meat like that from now on," Yuwen Yue noted as he finally pulled away.

"Mmm."

"That way, we can both be happy."

"Mmm."

Supremely satisfied with the successful execution of this part of his plan, he leaned back in the chair and gathered Xing'er against him so that her head was resting on his chest. She murmured in contentment as he began to rub soothing circles on her back, not knowing—or, perhaps, not caring—that Yuwen Yue was about to begin his next attack.

"So tell me what you have to tell me," he murmured into Xing'er's hair.

"Meng Feng told me that the emperor assigned Yuan Song the task of investigating Yuwen Xi's killing and that he's actually managed to figure out a decent bit of our scheme."

Yuwen Yue was glad that Xing'er couldn't see his eyes widen at her proclamation. He made no other movements, however, and managed to convey his typical brand of laconic calmness through the steadiness of his ministrations to Xing'er.

"How did he manage that?"

Xing'er began telling him the tale of Yuan Song's investigation, detailing his questioning of the servants, his avoidance of Meng Feng, and the conversation they had once he finally confronted her about the events of that night. He was quite impressed with the young royal, although he was, of course, alarmed that someone with such poor concealment skills knew so much damaging information about himself and his beloved.

Unfortunately, his woman possessed significantly better deceptive abilities, and he could tell that she was keeping something from him as she explained the talk she'd had with Meng Feng about how to handle this problem. Yuwen Yue decided that he didn't want to deal with Xing'er's secrets right now and figured that he'd assign Yue Qi the task of figuring them out later—if at all.

"So can you think of a better idea than allowing that unpredictable, mischievous woman the chance to give potentially disastrous gossip to a guy who just received his first lying lesson yesterday?" Xing'er mumbled sleepily into his chest.

"Let me think about this for a moment, X'er," he murmured into her ear as he continued his comforting stroking.

As he'd planned, his beloved's breathing soon evened out and she relaxed fully in his embrace. He inhaled deeply, the scent of Xing'er's hair soothing him as it had for so long. The spymaster had no need of further rumination; after all, he'd quickly decided that Xing'er and Meng Feng's plan was their best option. He simply wanted to spend a few peaceful moments with his fiance before he had to leave the serenity of their room to rejoin the unpleasant bustle of the real world.

 _Or maybe our room is the real world and everything outside of it is just an inconvenience I put up with in order to be able to rest here with my fiance,_ he mused as he carefully stood to his feet with Xing'er cradled in his arms.

 _Such a thought would've been inconceivable not too long ago,_ he thought as he crept towards his bed— _their_ bed—while making sure not to awaken the woman he loved. _I lived for family honor and the Eyes of God. I lived for duty, service, and self-control. Now…_

He pulled back the covers of their bed one-handed, holding onto his future wife with his other arm. As he laid her on the bed and tried to let her go in order to tuck her in, she murmured in discontentment and wrapped both of her small but strong hands around one of his arms. Yuwen Yue sat on the bed beside his beloved and watched her sleep for a few more moments, entranced by the peaceful beauty of her relaxed face.

Reluctantly, he stood up, carefully extracting his arm from Xing'er's grip and evading her clumsy attempts at pulling him into bed with her. His body wanted desperately to succumb to her unconscious pleas as he pulled the blankets up to her chin, but he knew that he had to talk to Meng Feng and Yue Qi before returning here to grab a few short hours of sleep before supper.

 _Or maybe I'll take some bread and smoked meat with me tonight and spend a little more time in bed with Xing'er,_ he mused as he strode towards the doors of his rooms. _I know she'll be mad at me for letting her sleep so long, but she's always irritated about something anyway; at least this will give her something new to be upset about._

Before he opened his doors, he stole one more glance at Xing'er, who was once again sleeping peacefully. He vowed to carry out his duties quickly so that he could soon return to his beloved's side. The tasks that had seemed so urgent to him moments ago now seemed unimportant as he anticipated joining the woman he loved in slumber.

* * *

Although the Grand Concubine had been briefed on the situation before hosting the young prince across the table from her for supper, she'd decided to pretend ignorance in the interest of gathering information. After all, she knew from experience that playing dumb was an effective means of learning valuable intelligence, and that people often made mistakes the more you let them ramble on.

 _Is that not how this young brat managed to figure out our scheme? s_ he mused as he smiled at her with an open, good-natured grin. _By flirting with a bunch of silly maids who blithely threw their futures away in exchange for a passing smile from a man who would never consider them anything more than amusements?_

"So I take it you know why I'm here, _tai fu ren_ ," the prince said, his expression turning more cautious.

"Of course I do," she said. "You're here to eat supper. I may be old, but I haven't gone senile enough to forget about mealtimes."

His wide-eyed stare of confusion tickled the _tai fu ren_ , but she hid her emotions as well as any Yuwen ever had.

"Um...that is...didn't Meng Feng…?"

"Ah, yes," she said, as if just remembering something important. "I did receive a visit from that charming young lady awhile ago."

She didn't miss the way the prince's eyes lit up at the mention of the former assassin and filed that information away for later.

"So...then..."

"She told me all about your plans for your sister's birthday party. You truly are a most dedicated brother."

"Um...well...thank you?"

"Good brothers are so rare. Wouldn't you agree, Your Highness?"

"Well, yes, I suppose..."

"Why, I remember-"

As the Grand Concubine of Hong Shan Yuan launched into a tale about the three Yuwen brothers who had made the family what it was today, she noticed that, as she'd planned, the prince was busy plotting his course. She wanted to see what sort of nonsense he'd come up with in order to try to wheedle her precious secrets out of her. Of course, she already knew what bomb she was going to catapult right at the palace, but she still wanted to make this scrawny boy earn the information.

 _And to make Yuwen Yue pay for not even bothering to ask me about this topic. Typical arrogant Yuwen male. Of course the poor, pitiful_ tai fu ren _c_ _ould_ _n't possibly know anything about the other family scandal that ruined our credibility as spies. Finding out the truth this way will serve him right._

"That was a fascinating story," the boy said after the Grand Concubine lapsed into silence. "Most of my brothers are older than me, and I'm not that close to them. Xiang is a good guy, but the rest...well...let's just say that I can understand the politics of family dynamics all too well."

"I'm sure you can."

An awkward silence fell, which the prince filled with an admittedly amusing tale about how he ended up helping the maids of Qing Shan Yuan to hang up their laundry. He told the story well, balancing self-deprecation with self-congratulation perfectly. His smile grew even more amiable and winsome, and the _tai fu ren_ came to understand how easily falling under this prince's spell could be for the less-experienced.

"I'm surprised that a fine, young prince like yourself would be caught dead helping the lowly slaves of Qing Shan Yuan," she said after his story was finished.

"I had fun," he said, flashing a genuine smile at her. "I also learned a great deal. Most people would dismiss the maids as silly and foolish, but they know a lot."

"Like what?"

"Oh, not what most people like us would value," he said. "Their lives have been hard, and they have a lot of wisdom in spite of their young ages."

The _tai fu ren_ managed to keep from rolling her eyes at the condescending royal-speak.

 _He has a lot to learn before he'll be able to lie convincingly._

"So you've been spending a lot of time with the maids, have you?" she asked as he took a sip of tea. "Have you managed to seduce any of them yet?"

As she'd expected, he choked on his tea and started sputtering impassioned denials. She kept her face neutral before saying, "I meant no disrespect, Your Highness. After all, is that not the way of the world? Men demand total loyalty and faithfulness from their wives and concubines while taking any and all women they can get away with having themselves."

The poor prince looked like he was about to pass out on the spot.

 _How did that fool of a Yuwen manage to allow this weakling to ferret out the details of our plan? He probably wouldn't even notice me slipping poison into his tea until he'd drunk the entire thing._

"You, too?" the boy practically wailed. "Is everyone here so blood-thirsty? Even Meng Feng thought about killing me when I told her..."

He trailed off as he realized what he'd said. She held her stone face for a few moments before deciding to put the prince out of his misery.

"You say 'even Meng Feng' as if she weren't a cold-blooded assassin."

"But she's not just a cold-blooded assassin!" he blurted. "She's...she's Meng Feng."

 _Oh, you poor, stupid fool. You really are your father's son, aren't you? Your taste in women is going to lead you down a similar path._

"She beat Xing'er in hand-to-hand combat over Yuwen Yue's life, you know," she said conversationally, as if she were commenting on the nice weather. "She's seen and done things that would make you recoil in horror just to hear about, much less experience. What did you think she was? A nice, cuddly doll?"

"I know she's not," he said. "She's strong and capable and confident and...good. She's good. She wouldn't kill me."

"Of course she wouldn't," the _tai fu ren_ said, waving a hand in the air. "After all, she's no fool. She knows that if anything were to happen to you out here, the wrath of the emperor would fall on us full-force. No, she would never do anything to put her master in jeopardy. I, on the other hand..."

The Grand Concubine looked suggestively at the cup he was holding in his hand, causing the prince's eyes to widen in panic. He dropped the nearly-empty cup in his lap, breathing heavily as if he expected to collapse at any moment. She allowed herself to cackle dryly, enjoying herself more than she had in years.

"Do you really think I'm that big of a fool, Your Highness? Did you not listen to a single thing I just said? What do you think your father would do to Qing Shan Yuan if his son were to drop dead at my dinner table after being ordered to investigate the death of a man I loathed at the hands of another man I loathe?"

"I'm glad your sense of self-preservation has kept you from poisoning me," he said sourly.

"My sense of self-preservation is trying desperately to come up with a solution to the utter catastrophe of having someone like you know enough about the truth of what happened that night to have us all executed!"

"You've known all along?" he asked in shock. "But you said-"

"I lied! And you didn't even notice I lied! I even hinted at the truth a few times, and you still didn't pick up on my clues! How are you going to hide the truth from your father if you can't even deal with me? We're all going to die horribly thanks to a bunch of silly maids and a group of spies who can't even conceal their plans from a naive boy like you."

The boy's eyes flashed briefly with indignation before filling with shame. He looked at her with his heart in his eyes, and the _tai fu ren_ realized again how those maids could've fallen for his charms. Even she wanted to go easy on him to an extent, but she knew that, for the good of them all—including the boy before her—she couldn't do so.

"I never wanted to hurt any of you," he said softly. "I never wanted to learn anything. I asked enough questions to satisfy my father, but I always tried to move on once I'd found out something incriminating. My plan was to stall the investigation long enough for my father to lose interest, hopefully sparing Yuwen Yue and Xing'er and Meng Feng..."

The way he said both women's names caused a sinking feeling in her gut.

 _Surely he can't have been stupid enough to fall in love with both...of course he could. He's a Yuan._

"So which woman did your father promise you?" she asked, causing his eyes to widen in panic again. "Xing'er? Meng Feng? Both?"

He stared back at her defiantly, and she was thankful that he'd found some guts somewhere.

"Let me guess," she muttered. "He promised you...it would've had to have been Xing'er, right? Meng Feng's only been here for a month or so, so he wouldn't think you would've had enough time to fall in love with her. So you must be in love with Xing'er, right?"

While he refused to confirm or deny her guess, his stammering protests were a confession of their own.

"You do realize that she's currently curled up in bed with Yuwen Yue, don't you?"

The raw hurt she saw in his eyes didn't make her feel as good as she'd anticipated it would.

"I know she doesn't love me," he murmured. "I've known almost since the beginning of this mission."

"So what was the deal? You find some incriminating evidence against Yuwen Yue and sell him out so that you can get the girl? Or maybe you find something incriminating about Xing'er herself, tell your father, and then swoop in to 'save' her as the two of you had prearranged?"

"He told me I could marry Xing'er if I succeeded in this mission," he admitted dully.

"And you believed him?"

"For a few hours."

"Only a few hours? That's not bad for you."

"Well, catching them embracing was a pretty enlightening experience."

"You poor boy," she said, finding that she did genuinely feel sorry for him. "Did you really not consider your father's offer, though? You're a man, after all; I can't believe you wouldn't."

"I did," he whispered, looking down at his lap in shame. "I did consider it, and that realization shocked me like nothing had since Yan Xun's..."

"You do realize that, if you ever did something to harm Yuwen Yue and Xing'er found out about it-"

"-I'd die a horrible, agonizing death, yes, I do," the prince said, a small smile ghosting across his face. "I may be a fool, but I'm not that stupid."

"And yet you were stupid enough to fall in love with Meng Feng while all of this was going on," she said, enjoying the look of anxious denial on his face.

 _I've had more fun over the past hour than I had in all of my life at Hong Shan Yuan._

"But I'm not...we're not...she doesn't...it's not...we're not like that!"

"I hope you haven't fallen in love with her," she told the prince. "Because you do realize that she would never leave Yuwen Yue's service just to be your plaything, don't you?"

A cold, hard look formed on his face, and a fire filled his eyes that had been absent up to that point. While the _tai fu ren_ wasn't intimidated given the men she'd lived around, she had to admit that, in that moment, she'd gotten a glimpse of the man he could be.

"I would never, ever treat Meng Feng like a plaything," he said, his hands gripping the table tightly. "Contrary to your beliefs, I'm not a total moron. I'm fully aware that my father would never let me marry any of the women here."

"Including me?" the _tai fu ren_ couldn't resist adding.

"Especially not you," the prince said without missing a beat. "My father wouldn't underestimate you like I did. He wouldn't trust you at all."

"I was going to call him a smart man, but then I remembered that he fell in love with a woman who spurned him and married his best friend instead, and then he killed most of their children in retribution years later. So maybe he's not so smart."

"Do you really think…?"

"Do you really not think? Do you honestly believe Baisheng's decision to marry Yan Shi Cheng didn't help him to believe the worst of his so-called best friend?"

"My father's not-"

"Of course he is," she said with a bitter laugh. "Most men are like that. Even you are, despite your protestations. After all, you have feelings for two women at the same time. How are you going to handle that?"

"By doing what's best for both of them," he said, surprising her with his frankness. "By trying to be a better man than I am—and a better man than those around me."

"I think I might actually believe you," she said. "I think I see what that pretty assassin sees in you. She made sure tell me how trustworthy you were, how innocent of wrong-doing."

A sweet smile formed on the prince's face, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness at the inevitability of his heartbreak.

"I set out to test you, Your Highness," she said, making his face fall again. "As you might imagine, the results were mixed. I deceived you from the outset of our conversation, and you fell for my lies without any resistance. You ended up revealing more to me than I revealed to you—except for what I wanted you to know, of course. I learned incriminating information about you that I could, perhaps, give to your father in exchange for mercy on my family."

His face paled.

"That would be a bad idea," he said flatly.

"Of course it would. As I've said repeatedly, I'm no fool. I also said that your father would never trust me, and I stand by that as well. And, of course, had I wanted to betray you in such a way, I wouldn't have told you my plans in advance."

"So what are you going to do?"

"I'm going to be honest with you, Your Highness."

"Really? That will be a nice change."

"Don't be so sure. I've already outlined some of your weaknesses, and I didn't even cover them all. What concerns me the most is your inability to resist any sort of pressure without folding. That's a skill that must be learned, and I don't have time to teach it to you."

"Meng Feng tried to give me a lying lesson before I came here, but the things I learned only helped me a little."

"When you told the stories, right?" she asked. He nodded. "She probably told you to use your skills, right? To present yourself a certain way and to let others draw the conclusions to which you've led them."

"Right."

"So what went wrong?"

"You changed the plan right at the beginning, which ruined my own plan. You rattled me by professing ignorance of the purpose of our meeting, and I never recovered from that initial shock."

"Not a bad analysis, Your Highness," she admitted. "There might be hope for you yet."

"Meng Feng seemed to think so."

"Did she, now?"

The prince blushed mildly. The _tai fu ren_ sighed.

"So here's what we're going to do. First, I'm going to give you some advice. Xing'er is off-limits to you. Her heart has belonged to Yuwen Yue for a long time, and she'd never, ever forgive you if anything you did led to his death. She doesn't love you, and she never will. Now, that being said, if you work hard and manage to learn enough to not get us all killed in the next few weeks, then you two might be able to form a long-lasting, rewarding friendship. You will not, however, attempt to pursue her romantically or ruin her relationship with the only worthwhile Yuwen male I've ever met. Do I make myself clear?"

"Perfectly," he said, giving her a small nod. "I want Xing'er to be happy, and I've seen that Yuwen Yue makes her happy. I've also come to realize over the last week how unworthy of her I am; I could never make her happy."

"I'm glad you realize that," she said. "As for Meng Feng...Honestly, I think there might be something there. I know I shouldn't tell you that and that I'll live to regret doing so, but I honestly don't want to face that woman's wrath if I lie to you about this and she finds out about it."

"You might end up with something special in your tea," the prince said with a smile.

"Indeed. However, her feelings don't change the fact that your father would never let you have any sort of meaningful relationship with her. When I called her a plaything, that was no slight on your own character; I was simply addressing the realities of our world. She will never be your concubine, much less your empress. You said that you were willing to let Xing'er go because you love her. If you truly care for Meng Feng, you need to let her go, too. Nothing good can possibly come from such a relationship."

The mixture of emotions in the prince's eyes was fascinating in its diversity. While the usual feelings she'd expected to see in his eyes were present, she also saw a bit of defiant denial in them. Maybe his feelings actually had some depth to them after all, doomed though they may be.

 _Oh, well. It's up to him to take my advice or not. As long as he stays away from Xing'er, I don't care what he does with the assassin as long as_ _he_ _doesn't get us all killed._

"But what about Yuwen Yue and Xing'er's relationship?" he asked her. "After all, she's low-born, but he's in love with her anyway and will likely make her his wife soon. If their love can find away, why couldn't…?"

She gave a brittle cackle.

"Are you prepared to do what those two did in order to be together, Your Highness? Don't give me that look; you know exactly what I'm talking about. Yuwen Yue and Xing'er knew that they could never have a life together with the interference of the Third Branch, so they eliminated said interference. Could you do that, Your Highness? Could you kill anyone-everyone-who would keep you from marrying her?"

His horrified expression was both humorous and pitiful.

"Of course you couldn't," she soothed. "Most people couldn't. That's perfectly normal. But your circumstances aren't normal, and unless you're willing to...well...there's no reason to dwell on such unpleasantries, is there? No. So what we're going to do is to distract your father from this useless, distasteful investigation by telling him that Yuwen Xi was the traitor who allied himself with Liang and discredited the Eyes of God in the eyes of the palace."

"What?!"

The prince's gobsmacked face was satisfying as she dropped her secret in his lap with almost no warning.

"Is that really so hard to believe? After all, you know what kind of man Yuwen Xi was. Would a man who has no regard for life have any problems selling out his homeland for money and power?"

"No. I mean...I know, but...How did nobody else figure that out after all these years? Yuwen Zhuo? Yuwen Yue? My father?"

Another spate of dry cackles overtook the _tai fu ren_ as she laughed with glee.

"I always wondered the same thing—and honestly felt that the Eyes of God deserved to die as an organization if they couldn't even figure out such an obvious solution to this great mystery. But they didn't, so now you can tell your father you've uncovered a traitor who doesn't even need to be executed."

"I'm assuming you have evidence of this?"

"Of course. Just because the Eyes of God is stupid doesn't make me so. Yuwen Xi had a secret room that few know how to access. I had my industrious 'deaf, mute' maids steal a ledger written 20 years ago and bring it with them. There are many more just like it, but I didn't want to take the chance that someone would find them and destroy them."

His Highness looked like a kid at his first lantern festival.

"This will definitely distract my father from the investigation. I'll make sure to tell the story well."

"Of that, I have no doubt," she said, smirking. "Telling tales is one of the few things you do well."

"Thank you, _tai fu ren_ ," he said, clasping his hands and bowing with mock solemnity.

"Don't mess this up, Your Highness," she said, piercing him with her eyes. "I've finally found a family worth belonging to, and I won't give that up without a fight."

Yuan Song swallowed visibly.

"I care about this family, too, and I won't give them up without a fight, either."

 _If I could help to turn this boy into a man, he could rule all of Wei someday—if he manages to keep his crippling naivete from_ _sending_ _us all_ _to the underworld_ _over the next few weeks..._

* * *

AN: Whew! So now we can get the ball rolling on Yuwen Huai's plan, Hei Shan Yuan drama, Xiao Ce's visit, and other tantalizing things. I'm not even going to bother trying to plot out the future of this story weeks in advance; we'll just let it be a surprise, shall we?


	10. Chapter 10

AN: Those of you expecting sappy XingYue moments will be disappointed for the next few chapters as we're heading into some much-needed angst. I say "much needed" because this is, after all, a Princess Agents story, and where would we be without angst? More importantly, I feel like the upcoming trials XingYue is going to go through are necessary for their development as a couple. YWY must face the reality that his actions could push XE away if he's not careful. XE must face the reality that her impulsive, emotional choices could ruin her life if she's not careful. I promise not to drag this arc out. I promise to deliver suitable ooey-gooey reconciliation scenes at its end. I promise to keep the Meng Feng/Yuan Song shipping to a dull roar. I promise to bring in Xiao Ce and Xia Chong at long last. (I won't promise not to rot anyone's teeth during the reconciliation scenes, however; I promise nothing.)

* * *

The young man sloppily kneeling before the emperor with a smirk on his face managed to convey disrespect for the emperor without being overtly disrespectful. Of course, angering the emperor was the least of his problems, as the emperor himself knew full well. After all, the man before him had killed his own grandfather and allowed himself to be outwitted by his enemies. They both knew that the emperor had to execute him; neither seemed compelled to give the other any quarter.

"What can your humble servant, Yuwen Huai, do for Your Majesty?" the young man asked with an impudent twist of his lips.

"You can satisfy my curiosity," the emperor responded, keeping his face neutral.

"Am I a curiosity?" Yuwen Huai asked with an air of false bewilderment. "I wasn't aware of that, Your Majesty."

"Your whole family has always been a curiosity to the people of Wei. Now they've become even more so with the recent revelations about your grandfather."

"Which revelations?" Yuwen Huai asked with an air of boredom. "There have been so many over the years, I can't keep up with them all."

"The revelation that your grandfather allied himself with Liang decades ago and has been selling secrets to them all along."

The emperor got the reaction he'd watched for as Yuwen Huai's best efforts couldn't keep the involuntary look of shock from forming on his face.

"Where did you hear that nonsense?" he asked with unconvincing bravado. "Did my dear brother tell you that?"

"Actually, my son discovered this information," the emperor said with a bit of an edge. "Your brother has been guarding the prison each night and has killed over a hundred assassins who have tried to hasten your punishment."

"How very good of Yue'er," he said, sneering. "I'm sure my so-called brother is watching over me out of the goodness of his heart. Is Xing'er out there, too, keeping him...company?"

"Xing'er stays behind to guard Qing Shan Yuan each night according to my spies."

"Apparently Brother Dearest doesn't trust his lover not to kill me. How charming. And congratulations on getting Yu'er to show a bit of backbone, by the way; that must warm your heart, Your Majesty."

The emperor's eyes flashed, but he refused to give this worthless son of a singer the reaction he was seeking.

"I am, indeed, proud of my son for uncovering this information," he replied. "He apparently discovered that the Grand Concubine of Hong Shan Yuan was living at Qing Shan Yuan and-"

A harsh burst of laughter rang out in the jail as Yuwen Huai interrupted his explanation.

"Oh, yes; I'm sure the _tai fu ren_ is an unbiased, reliable source of information," he gasped out once his mirth had wound down. "I'm sure she would never lie in order to get vengeance on behalf of herself and her niece—who was Yuwen Yue's mother, in case you didn't know."

"Vengeful or not, the woman's not stupid. Apparently, your late, lamented grandfather had a secret room in which he stored a collection of ledgers going back decades. The Grand Concubine knew of this room and these documents and stole one from 20 years ago before leaving Hong Shan Yuan."

Yuwen Huai chuckled again.

"Considering that the _tai fu ren_ is bound to her wheelchair, I sincerely doubt that she was able to sneak into a hidden room and steal a ledger."

"She claimed to have had a couple of maids do the legwork for her."

"Her deaf and mute maids? This just keeps getting better and better. This is all so convenient."

"Isn't it, though? I thought so. Naturally I had to come down here and hear your opinion on the matter."

"Of course you did. After all, what more important tasks could the emperor have to do than to get involved in the family squabbles of the Yuwen family?"

"Evidence of treason is hardly a squabble—nor is murdering one's grandfather, of course."

"Ah, yes," Yuwen Huai said, smirking. "Treason and murder are very serious crimes. So why isn't Yuwen Yue in this cell with me? After all, I'm sure you remember how...helpful he was the night Yan Xun escaped. We both know where his and Xing'er's loyalties lay in that regard. And murder...well...surely you don't think I took that drug on my own, do you, Your Majesty?"

"I knew you'd been set up the moment I heard what had happened. In fact, that's why I sent Prince Yu'er out to Qing Shan Yuan to investigate."

"My first inclination was to laugh, but now that I think about it, Yuan Song's interrogation techniques were likely better received by the maids of Qing Shan Yuan than those of your other officials. And yet, according to you, the only thing he turned up was even more incriminating information about my grandfather. Don't you find that a bit...convenient?"

"My son is loyal to me," the emperor retorted, maintaining control of his temper with great effort.

"Of course he is," Yuwen Huai soothed. "I would never suggest otherwise. I only meant to warn you against allowing Yuwen Yue and Xing'er to exert too much influence over such an amiable, impressionable young man. I can't blame him for having feelings for Xing'er; had her robe had my name on it at the hunting grounds instead of Yuwen Yue's...well..."

"Yes, I know exactly how you would've acted. I, of course, know of my son's unfortunate attachment to Xing'er and used it to gain his cooperation in this investigation. I'm not a fool."

"Of course not, Your Majesty. You couldn't have anticipated that his feelings for Xing'er would outweigh his sense of duty to you. Of course, there's also the possibility that he really didn't manage to charm anything out of those maids, in which case he would just be incompetent rather than disloyal."

"You're not helping your case with your behavior, Yuwen Huai."

"What are you going to do?" Yuwen Huai mocked. "Kill me? What do I have to lose?"

"I can determine how much you suffer before you die—which will be significantly more if you don't stop talking about my children."

"Children? I only talked about Yuan Song. Now Chun'er, on the other hand...is there anything she wouldn't do for her precious Yan Xun _Ge Ge_? You'd better not let her go out to Qing Shan Yuan, either. I'm sure she and Xing'er-"

"Any chance of leniency just disappeared for you, Yuwen Huai. I'll be keeping my eye on Yuwen Yue and Xing'er, but you're at least as dangerous as they are."

"I'm just warning you about potential bad influences on your family, Your Majesty. I would hate to see any of them learning the wrong sorts of things from a man who deliberately allowed an enemy of Wei to escape. I know you don't want to hear these things, Your Majesty, but I feel compelled to say them anyway."

"I'm sure you're just trying to help me out of the goodness of your heart."

"Of course I'm not," Yuwen Huai said. "I'm a dead man already. I don't really care about you or your family since I know you don't care about me or...well...there's nothing left of my family, now, is there? Not any worth claiming, anyway. But I don't want to see them get away with murder, which they have."

"Have they?"

"You tell me, Your Majesty. What are you going to do to Yuwen Yue, Xing'er, and that other woman?"

"What other woman?"

"My memories of that night are fragmented," Yuwen Huai said, a wry twist shaping his mouth. "I guess that's what Xing'er experiences on a regular basis with her own memories of the past. One thing I know for sure, though, is that I can definitely remember two women. I thought they were spirits at the time; my mind identified them as Xing'er's big sister and Yuwen Yue's mother—who had Xing'er's face, interestingly enough. They said...they said...I can't remember much. I just remember a feeling of dread. They told me...they told me...to 'kill the monster.' 'Kill the monster.' So I did. I killed the monster. But I saw them again. They were dressed like maids. Their faces were...obscured somehow. Maybe they were wearing masks. Maybe it was the drugs and wine. I don't know. But there were definitely two of them, and I don't think that's a coincidence."

"That was a fascinating story, Yuwen Huai," the emperor said, affecting boredom as the young man had done earlier. "But it's hardly convincing testimony. Of course you'd give one spirit Xing'er's face, and as for the other...well...who would she be, anyway?"

"I seem to remember my steward ranting about a forward yet beautiful young woman who tried to stand up to him on behalf of the maids a few days before _that night_. I think she was an Afterlife Camp assassin. Maybe she made a deal with her new master. Tell me, Your Majesty, have you heard of such a woman?"

"My son told me of a woman he met at Qing Shan Yuan named Meng Feng that fits that description," the emperor admitted. "He speaks quite highly of her."

The wolfish grin that Yuwen Huai shot him turned his stomach.

"I'm sure he does, Your Majesty. Oh, yes; you need to watch your son very closely indeed. You need to watch all of them, Your Majesty. You called me dangerous, but I truly am the least of your worries. You see, I know Yuwen Yue all too well. He lives by his own code, not duty to the state. He will always do what he thinks is right, which might not always align with what you think is right. If a time comes when you have to order him to do something that violates his personal code of right and wrong...well...just don't send him after Yan Xun, Your Majesty. And Xing'er and this Meng Feng...they would love to turn your son against you. They'd do it in a heartbeat if they thought doing so would give them an advantage."

"That was a lovely speech, Yuwen Huai," the emperor said, his temper nearing its breaking point. "It's quite late; I must return to the palace now."

"Of course you must, Your Majesty," Yuwen Huai said with mock sympathy. "I'm sure that talking to me has forced you to face numerous unpleasant truths. But tell me one thing, Your Majesty, if you would: If my grandfather is a traitor, then why do I have to die for killing him? If you wanted to say that I discovered his betrayal and killed him in a rage, you could. I could continue to keep Yuwen Yue in check for you—and keep doing the dirty jobs that nobody else can do as well as I can."

"I thought about saving you," the emperor said. "I decided against it for multiple reasons. First of all, I have noblemen in court clamoring for your execution lest their heirs decide to kill them off in...accidents as well. Secondly, you allowed Yuwen Yue to defeat you so thoroughly that I could never trust you to not get beaten by him again. Finally, given point number two, you're useless to me. If you can't help me to maintain balance within the Yuwen family, then what good are you to Wei? You're also the grandson of a traitor, which isn't going to help you to garner any support from your peers-who have already distanced themselves from you personally as well as politically."

"Thanks for the extra point, Your Majesty," Yuwen Huai said, inclining his head mockingly. "I figured it was worth a try. I'll be watching from the afterlife, Your Majesty. When Yuwen Yue turns on you, I hope you think of me before you die—if you have the chance to think of anything at all. If he manages to take your throne, I'll turn my head before he and Xing'er spend their first night in your bed, though. I'd rather not watch the things those two could do in a bed that large."

"You're mad," the emperor said, turning his back on the young man and walking away. "I have more important things to do tomorrow, but the day after will be your time of judgment."

The laughter that rang out behind him caused prickles to move up and down his spine as he attempted to dismiss the man's words from his mind. Try as he might, however, he couldn't dislodge the disgraced nobleman's accusations because they had the ring of truth to them. He knew he had to talk to his son and to try to figure out how much damage had already been done.

* * *

Yue Qi grinned from his hiding place in the copse of trees near the racing field as Xing'er defeated Meng Feng yet again from atop Cold Fire. The former assassin didn't seem to mind, however, and appeared to be enjoying herself despite her slower mount. Not that the horse was substandard; after all, it was the horse that the master had given Xing'er to ride initially, and the master would never give Xing'er anything less than the best he felt she could handle.

As usual, what the master had billed as a punishment for Xing'er had been a prized gift in disguise. His master had now given Xing'er a horse that was faster, stronger, and smarter than almost any she was likely to encounter, which would mean that she would have a quick means of escape if she ever needed one.

 _And, of course, the breaking of the horse had been pleasurable for both the master and Xing'er judging from the scene I walked in on that time. How long would Xing'er have stayed on top of the master had I not intervened?_

He continued to smile in contentment, glad that the master had given him such an easy and enjoyable mission. The master had come to suspect that Xing'er was up to something with Meng Feng, so he'd tasked Yue Qi with finding out what his beloved was hiding. Yue Qi hadn't gotten the impression that his master had been worried about Xing'er getting into trouble or betraying him; he'd sensed more amused curiosity than anything from the spymaster.

 _Had he genuinely thought something was wrong, he would've investigated the matter himself regardless of what would've happened to Yuwen Huai. Nothing and nobody is more important to the master than Xing'er._

Xing'er was beating Meng Feng again by a couple of lengths, her dark hair flying behind her and her face forming what he could tell even from his hiding place was a look of triumph. She was a beautiful woman, as was Meng Feng.

 _The rest of the guys are either on guard duty or doing drills and I'm sitting here watching two gorgeous women race each other on lovely horses. Sometimes being the master's right hand really pays off._

Twin glints of metal on the left side of each horse caught his eye, and he blinked in mild confusion. For some reason, both women had brought their swords with them. While nobody with half a brain would question why two such deadly women would have their swords on them at any given moment, he knew that neither woman carried her sword with her at all times.

 _Maybe they're going to do some sparring once they're done racing,_ he thought in anticipation. _Maybe they'll even fight on horseback. Now that would be a sight!_

To his disappointment, however, the two women didn't make a single move towards their swords as they both dismounted. In fact, they acted like they hadn't a care in the world as they talked idly, allowing their horses to crop some grass nearby. A laugh floated over to Yue Qi's hiding place, and he smiled softly.

 _Xing'er and Meng Feng have been good for each other. I know the master has encouraged their friendship, knowing that Xing'er has had little older female companionship in her life. In fact, I'm sure that the suspicion of Meng Feng's involvement in whatever Xing'er has gotten herself into this time is one of the main factors that led to the master's lack of concern._

His master's beloved looked so small and innocent now, laughing and chatting with the slightly-older woman. Just looking at her like that, one might be able to forget that she was a walking, talking trouble beacon. Yue Qi shook his head as he remembered some of the scrapes that the young woman had gotten herself into.

 _How one little woman can attract so much trouble, I'll never understand. Of course, she also attracted the master...which only proves my point, honestly. I'm glad I'm as good at my job as I am, because between the two of them, they attract an entire kingdom's worth of trouble._

Thinking about some of that trouble caused the smile to disappear from his face. These past few weeks had been hard on everyone, but Xing'er and the master had seemed to have borne the brunt of the trials. Yue Qi could tell that their separation had been wearing on both of them to the degree that there seemed to be a slight undercurrent of awkwardness and resentment between them.

 _Not that I know much about romantic relationships, but I can't help but feel that something is wrong between them,_ he thought, frowning. _Not that I think that they're in danger of separating; nothing could ever come between those two. Still, something has happened between the two of them-something having to do with the Grand Concubine, I think._

He remembered all three times his master had met in private with the woman—or, at least, he recalled the aftermath of each visit. His master always left the bitter woman's chambers morose, melancholy, and in need of the comfort of his woman.

 _At least_ I _think that he needed the comfort of his woman,_ Yue Qi thought as the two women began tending to their horses. _After all, what's wrong with seeking love from your woman? Isn't that one of the reasons a man should get married in the first place? To have someone to hold onto in this cruel, chaotic world? The master did take comfort from Xing'er after the first conversation, but the last two…_

Yue Qi had known the master for many years. Yuwen Yue had saved his life, raised him up from nothing, and now trusted him like he trusted no other. Not even Xing'er knew all of the things that the master had confided in him over the course of their relationship.

 _I know the master is not prone to sharing his feelings with others, but the times when he's sought comfort in Xing'er's arms, he's been so much more relaxed the next morning. These last two talks with the_ tai fu ren _have taken their toll, and as far as I can tell, he's been actively shutting Xing'er out of_ _too many parts of his life_ _._

The women finally mounted up, and Yue Qi's gaze sharpened in readiness. If the women went back to Qing Shan Yuan the normal way, then Yue Qi could report to the master that both women had simply indulged themselves in a bit of sport that could also double as a training lesson. If they went off in another direction, however, Yue Qi knew he'd be in for a bit of adventure.

At first, he thought they were going to head in the direction of home, but at the last minute, they veered away from that path and went off into the woods instead. They rode their horses with purpose as if they knew where they were going, so he knew that he'd soon get to the bottom of the master's mystery. Yue Qi grinned, knowing he'd have to wait a few moments before following two such skilled, vigilant women.

When he was sure that enough time had elapsed, he left the copse of trees, staying near the treeline as he made his way over to where the women had entered the woods from the field. Their hoofprints were clear, so he settled back in his saddle and ambled along at a leisurely pace. Besides, although he didn't ride this way often, he still knew these woods well enough to find his surroundings familiar and safe.

That feeling of comfort began to disappear as he rode further into the forest, however. The trees grew closer in, and the air in the woods grew more stifled and heavy. Yue Qi frowned, wondering why the two women he was following would be riding in such an unpleasant area in which there...was...nothing…

A prickle of unease skittered up Yue Qi's spine as an idea hit him. He knew of the abandoned courtyard, of course; Yuwen Yue had told him about it brusquely in passing once years ago. Yue Qi had never bothered to explore it, unwilling to risk the master's wrath over visiting an area that held little appeal to him.

 _But the place would appeal to Xing'er,_ he thought, his good mood evaporated. _She would see exploring the ruins as an adventure—and, perhaps, a source of the answers that she was craving—answers that the master wouldn't give her._

The hoofprints he was following emerged from the woods and onto an overgrown path that had obviously once been much larger than its current version. His heart sank as he knew that he must be on the road to Hei Shan Yuan. Yue Qi was also forced to admit another source of appeal that the place would likely hold for Xing'er.

 _Given the way Yuwen Yue's been treating Xing'er these past few days, she would likely enjoy going somewhere she knew would anger him—and Hei Shan Yuan would definitely qualify. She would probably see going there as some sort of rebellion, some way to get back at the master for turning away her multiple offers of loving comfort._

Yue Qi kept riding on the path, his excitement for the mission long gone. He knew the master was going to be upset at his report. He knew that said report was going to strain things between the master and Xing'er even more.

 _And I know that I'm going to end up caught in the middle of whatever mess results from this little adventure,_ he grumped as the desolate atmosphere of the woods continued to dampen his spirits.

* * *

Meng Feng dipped her brush in the bucket yet again, drawing it out and applying it to the filthy floor of the master's old room. This area had clearly not been cleaned in ages, and she knew that she and Xing'er would likely spend most of their time here today just getting the floor clean again. Her friend was industriously scrubbing away on the other side of the small room, obviously determined to finish this job she'd begun several days ago.

The former assassin was also determined to accomplish something, although she knew that Xing'er was likely not going to want to help her to do so. As an observant person, she'd noticed the tension that had continued to build between Xing'er and the master. While she'd been wrapped up in Yuan Song's investigation and its results, she'd still seen the ashen face and closed-off eyes of her master as he'd left the Grand Concubine's room after confronting her over her startling confession.

She'd also seen Xing'er almost immediately make her way to the master's side only to be rebuffed by him in front of a variety of maids and house guards. While she understood the master's desire for solitude after such an experience, she also felt bad for her young friend's heart. After all, Xing'er had only been trying to comfort the master, and he had brusquely brushed her concerns aside before riding off to the prison.

As Xing'er attacked the floor with vigor, Meng Feng couldn't help but feel that the young woman had a well of resentment within her that ran as deep as the one outside from which they'd drawn the water they were currently using. She knew that Xing'er had a temper. She knew that the master could sometimes bring out that temper in Xing'er. She knew that Xing'er loved the master, and that the master loved Xing'er.

 _But I also know how being trapped in a bad situation can feel,_ she admitted as they continued to clean in companionable silence. _I know how desperate you can be, what types of choices you can make…_

Not that Meng Feng necessarily thought that Xing'er was on the verge of doing something rash, but she knew from experience how quickly a situation could go from bad to worse. The last thing she wanted was for the love that had convinced her she could trust Yuwen Yue and Xing'er in the first place to grow cold due to neglect and mistreatment.

 _I owe Yuwen Yue and Xing'er for treating me like more than an untrustworthy assassin. They could've turned their backs on me or even killed me, but instead, they've made me feel welcome and valuable. I won't let anything happen to their relationship if I can help it._

"Part of me wishes the master could see this," Meng Feng said, beginning her attack. "Of course, the rest of me knows this would just upset him."

"Mm."

Meng Feng had expected such a reply from the young woman, so she soldiered on.

"After all, our merely being here would upset him, much less our attempts at cleaning this place up."

"Mm."

"Your being here especially would upset him."

"Maybe. He'd be mad that I'd done something out of his control, I guess."

"These past few weeks have taken their toll on him."

"So I've heard."

"As a result, he might be inclined to say or do things he wouldn't really mean."

"Or he might be inclined to say and do things he really _does_ mean but that he'd normally be able to keep himself from saying and doing."

 _At least she's answering me in sentences now…_

"Do you think he's done anything to deliberately hurt you, Xing'er?"

The sound of scrubbing intensified.

"How would I know?" she retorted. "It's not as if he gives me a chance to determine his motives these days."

"But do you really think-"

A nervous neigh from the entrance to Hei Shan Yuan cut off her questioning, and she could sense Xing'er's relief at the impromptu ending of the questions. Meng Feng inwardly cursed her luck and vowed vengeance on whomever had interrupted the headway she'd been making with her friend.

Both of them soundlessly set down their cleaning supplies and stood up, grabbing the swords that Meng Feng was now glad she'd insisted they bring. This place made her feel on edge, and being here without the familiar presence of her faithful blade last time had made her feel naked. Xing'er had seemed amused when Meng Feng had recommended bringing Can Hong Jian, but she knew how fond of the sword her friend was, so she hadn't been surprised to see Xing'er give in without argument.

Each woman unsheathed her sword and crept to a side of the door, waiting silently for the intruder to make itself known. They both recognized the cadence of the hoofbeats at the same time and shared an amused yet irritated look as they put away their weapons.

"We should hide the horses in another building just on general principle," Xing'er muttered in disgust.

"I'm sure the master just sent him here to protect you," Meng Feng responded.

"Of course," Xing'er said. "I'm sure his presence here has nothing to do with him not trusting me."

"Well, considering that we are currently somewhere he wouldn't want us to be..."

Xing'er scowled at that bit of logic.

"I'll start caring about Yuwen Yue's feelings regarding my secrets when he starts caring about my feelings regarding his."

Her friend's resentful, angry answer concerned Meng Feng deeply, but she had no time to reply due to Yue Qi's poorly-timed entrance. By mutual accord, she and Xing'er had resumed their positions on the floor with their scrubbers, presenting the guard captain with the sight of the two women working as if this were a normal cleaning day at Qing Shan Yuan.

"Hello, Yue Qi," Xing'er said nonchalantly before returning her attention to her task.

"Haven't we made good progress?" Meng Feng asked, gesturing at the room.

"Um...yes...but..."

"We should be able to finish the floor today if we're able to work without further interruption," Xing'er said.

"You know the master's going to be upset about this, Xing'er," he finally said.

"Only if he finds out."

"Do you really think he won't find out, Xing'er?"

"I know he'll find out. I just don't care."

Meng Feng caught Yue Qi's eye and shook her head slightly.

"Well, I can think of worse ways to pass an afternoon," he cheerfully admitted, spotting an extra bucket and picking it up. "I'll just fill this half-rotten bucket, grab this barely-there brush, and get to work, then."

He walked towards the well, strolling as if he were out for a walk around Qing Shan Yuan. Meng Feng surreptitiously looked over at Xing'er, but the woman was studiously avoiding her gaze. Yue Qi returned quickly, and they finished the floor in less time than the two of them would've taken to complete the task alone.

"Is that all you were going to do today, ladies?" Yue Qi asked. "Yes? So we can go home? Great!"

"Of course we're not done yet," Xing'er said, scowling. "I'm not going to leave the bed in that condition."

She stalked over to it and began pulling the mildewed, moth-eaten bedding off of the surface. Meng Feng and Yue Qi helped her, creating a heap of ruined fabric outside of the door. Xing'er opened a chest and pulled out some bedclothes that had been surprisingly well-preserved. They spread the spare blankets over the small bed, coming closer to recreating the original appearance of the room.

"I can't believe the master used to sleep in a bed that small," Yue Qi said. "Of course, I'll bet that Xing'er could fit in it."

Meng Feng smiled as the young woman gave her typical scowl before reluctantly climbing into the bed.

"Yue Qi's right, Xing'er," Meng Feng said. "You can fit in the bed."

"Barely," Xing'er muttered. "I definitely prefer a larger bed, though."

"I know," Yue Qi said, grinning. "You prefer the adult version of this bed—and the adult version of its former occupant."

Before Xing'er could respond to Yue Qi's teasing, they all heard the unmistakable sound of footsteps outside in the courtyard. The leaves crunched and crackled as they were crushed underfoot by the heavy tread of someone walking at an unhurried pace. They all looked at each other wide-eyed for a few moments before springing into action.

* * *

Xing'er was glad that Meng Feng had insisted on them bringing their swords now that they might have to use them. She'd already unsheathed Can Hong Jian and leaned it up against the wall near the window. A few swift movements prepped and armed her small crossbow; she noticed that Meng Feng had a spray of darts in her hands and Yue Qi's sword was also at the ready.

Nobody had bothered to close the door, likely figuring that boxing themselves inside of a dilapidated building with no way out would not be a sound tactical decision. Besides, there were multiple piles of ruined linens, rugs, and wall hangings outside of the door, so anyone with the most basic observational capabilities would be able to tell where people were probably hiding. They had, however, closed the windows partly in order to provide them with minimal cover—and a slight element of surprise, perhaps.

As Xing'er watched the tall, masculine figure come closer, she gripped the small crossbow in her hand. She knew that between the three of them, they should be able to defeat a single stranger, but the man looked like a formidable fighter in his own right. He was dressed in light armor and carrying a well-worn but well-crafted sword that was currently still in its scabbard. His posture was one of alertness, and his eyes seemed to miss nothing.

Once he got close enough for Xing'er to see his eyes better, she barely restrained herself from letting out an audible gasp as the figure's identity made itself clear to her. How many times had she seen that same expression of wary yet confident observation in her beloved's own gaze? While Yuwen Yue wasn't an exact copy of his father, the resemblance was still striking and apparent.

Xing'er looked at Meng Feng and Yue Qi, who had obviously both recognized the man in the courtyard as well. She handed her small crossbow to Yue Qi and sheathed Can Hong Jian, holding it by the middle of the scabbard so that its design would be obvious to the man outside. Meng Feng and Yue Qi looked as if they wanted to join her instead of letting her go out alone, but she gestured with her head to the two windows. They gave in, and she strode confidently out the door.

As the man's eyes quickly came to rest on her, Xing'er projected an air of polite interest. Inside, however, she felt both more and less tense than she had before she'd recognized the stranger. While she doubted that the man would harm her or her friends once he learned who she was, she also knew that he likely wouldn't approve of his future daughter-in-law sneaking around his supposedly abandoned property, either.

He'd stopped his approach and was now looking at her with a cold expression that would've chilled her were it not for her familiarity with its descendant. Xing'er showed no fear, approaching the man respectfully yet boldly as she stopped just outside the reach of his sword should he choose to draw it. She clasped Can Hong Jian in her hands and bowed, deciding to address the man by the least controversial title she could think of.

"Yuwen _Da Ren_ ," she said.

As his attention centered on the sword, his face formed in a familiar yet different expression of amused irritation.

"I suppose I have the honor of addressing Xing'er," he said with exaggerated courtesy.

"Your servant, Xing'er, is at your service, _Da Ren_ ," she said, inclining her head again.

"I'm sorry for disturbing you, Xing'er," he said in that dryly-mocking tone that his son used frequently.

"I'm sorry I trespassed on your property, _Da Ren_. I thought it was abandoned and that nobody would mind."

"Really? You thought nobody would mind? Do you consider my son to be a nobody, Xing'er? Because you and I both know that he would definitely mind."

"Young Master Yue new told me not to come here."

"Of course he didn't. After all, he would've had to tell you about this place and its history, which I'm sure he was reluctant to do."

"Young Master Yue is reluctant to tell me a lot of things," she said, scowling. "He keeps so many secrets from me that I don't feel guilty for keeping some from him."

"Ah; I can see that Yue'er has inherited my prowess with women. Not that Yuwen Zhuo would've been any better of a teacher. Talk about the blind leading the blind."

Xing'er stared at the man with wide-eyed incomprehension, causing him to actually break out in rumbly chuckles. Part of her wanted to be indignant that her future father-in-law was laughing at her, but most of her was so charmed by such a sound coming from a man who resembled her beloved so closely that she couldn't be mad.

 _I would love to hear Yuwen Yue laugh even once,_ she mused as the general continued to chuckle softly. _Of course, I think I stand a better chance of becoming Empress of Wei than of ever witnessing such an event—especially if Yuwen Yue continues to treat me like he has over the past few weeks._

The man she loved had, of course, confronted the Grand Concubine after she'd told Yuan Song the truth about Yuwen Xi's betrayal of Wei. Yuwen Yue had emerged from the encounter pale-faced and taciturn and had publicly spurned her offer of comfort in front of all who'd been watching. Not only had his behavior been humiliating, but it had also shown her how much his regard for her had dropped in the past few weeks.

Had that been the extent of his coldness, she would've forgiven him. Had he sought her out or responded to any of her overtures, she wouldn't have held the incident against him. Had he even said something along the lines of, "Xing'er, I can't talk about this now, but I would like you to make us some tea," or, "Xing'er, you don't need to know any of the details of our discussion, but I think I need a shave," then all would've been well between them.

 _But he did none of those things,_ she thought grimly as the general's chuckles wound down. _He continued to avoid me, continued to shut me out, and continued to reject any overtures of comfort or reconciliation I made towards him. So, no, Da Ren, I don't feel any guilt at all about being here._

"So what have you been doing here, Xing'er?" the general asked, seeming to be genuinely curious.

To her dismay, Xing'er felt herself blush slightly as she led the general to the door of Yuwen Yue's old room in answer. Meng Feng and Yue Qi greeted the general in a similar manner to Xing'er, but he gave them only a cursory acknowledgment as he looked around the restored room in wonder. His eyes were drawn to the small flute lying on the freshly-dusted table, and he picked it up gently and examined it.

The tender look on the man's careworn face moved Xing'er, and she listened to her instincts. Her hand reached into her robe and withdrew her own flute, which the general noticed with a look of raw anguish that took Xinger's breath away. She held it out to him, and he took it in his hand after setting Yuwen Yue's boyhood copy back on the table. He turned it over in his hands multiple times as if memorizing its heft and feel in his grasp.

"My son gave you this, right?" he murmured, still absorbed with his treasure.

"Mm."

"I assume you know the story behind this flute,"

"Yes," Xing'er said. "He told me its history right before he asked me to marry him, in fact."

His eyes left the flute and found hers, examining her own gaze in as penetrating a fashion as his son was wont to do. Whatever he saw made him turn up the corners of his mouth in a smug smile.

"Did this proposal happen to be a week or two before the members of the Third Branch suffered their terrible tragedy?"

"As a matter of fact, I did agree to become Yuwen Yue's wife not long before that sad, unfortunate event took place."

This time, the general's bark of laughter had no geniality in it.

"Oh, yes, Xing'er," he said. "That was an unfortunate event, indeed. I'm heartbroken over the fate of Yuwen Xi and his most excellent grandson."

"I can tell," Xing'er said wryly.

"Actually, the reason I came here in the first place was so that I could tell..."

He trailed off, and Xing'er offered him a sympathetic look. His gaze sharpened, and he looked at her with new wariness. She knew that she had to tread a fine line, but as always, she trusted her instincts.

"I already told her. I told her he's dead. I told her how died. I told her who killed him. I played that for her," Xing'er said, nodding at the flute in the general's callused hands. "It just seemed right."

The general seemed at a loss for words, so Xing'er gave him time to collect himself by looking around the room as if she were searching for more tasks to complete. Her eyes fell on the bead strands surrounding the bed, and she realized that the strings were rotting and that the beads needed to be cleaned. She reached up as high as she could to take them down, but a large form beat her to the task and effortlessly removed the entire bead shroud for her.

"Thank you, _Da Ren_ ," she said, trying to corral the slippery beads on their floppy strings. "I take it that you don't mind that we did this?"

"No," he murmured. "No, I don't mind. It was all for nothing, but I don't mind."

"Oh. Well. You got to see it, so it wasn't all for nothing, was it? If you want, we can leave you alone here. We need to get back to Qing Shan Yuan before we're missed; we'll mend the beads another day."

"Actually, Xing'er, I think I'd like to fix these beads myself. Then I'll go...elsewhere and..."

She nodded in understanding and picked up her flute, which he'd set down on a table in his haste to assist her with the bead curtain.

"You can keep this if you want to play her a song on it."

"No," he said. "No, thank you, Xing'er. That flute is yours now. Besides, what would you tell Yue'er if he asked you to play for him and you didn't have it?"

A bitter laugh escaped Xing'er before she could stop it.

"You don't have to worry about that, Yuwen _Da Ren_. Your son hasn't asked me to play for him—or even played his own flute—since...never mind. So you can keep it if you want to."

"Actually, I think I'd rather play this one," the general said, picking up the small replica flute that used to belong to his son. "You need to keep that one close by at all times. After all, if there's one thing I've learned from the battlefield, it's to always have your weapon at hand because you never know when you'll need it."

His eyes traveled around the room, noting the various swords, crossbows, and discarded darts littering the tables.

"I can see that you've already taken that advice to heart, though; I'm glad that you recognized me before you attacked me."

"I wouldn't just attack someone without any provocation," she said, scowling. "Well, I might attack someone first if I recognized an enemy. Or if I were in charge of protecting others and the person looked dangerous. Or if a trusted comrade in arms told me that the person was dangerous. Or-"

Another rumbling chuckle came from the general as he interrupted her list of exceptions.

"I can see why my son likes you, Xing'er. In fact, I'd like to get to know you better. I know that Yue'er wouldn't like you spending time with me, but-"

"But I don't need his permission to spend time with his own father if I want to," Xing'er said, her eyes flashing. "If he doesn't need my permission to do some of the things he does, then I certainly don't need his permission to see who I want to see and go where I want to go."

"Ah, Xing'er," the general said, sighing. "I'm sure my son will return to normal once this nasty business with Yuwen Huai comes to a merciful conclusion."

"Mm," Xing'er grunted, neither wanting to argue nor disagree with the general. "We need to be going, _Da Ren_. It was a pleasure to meet you. We will leave first."

They all clasped their swords in front of them and bowed, giving the general his due respect before leaving the small room behind. As they mounted up and rode away, they heard the haunting sound of Yuwen Yue's old flute being played inside of that room for the first time in years.

Nobody seemed to be in the mood to talk; their ride back to Qing Shan Yuan was silent and somber. Xing'er figured that Yue Qi was thinking of ways to conceal the truth from his master, and Meng Feng...well...trying to figure out what was going on in that woman's brain could be almost as difficult as doing the same for her former master.

 _Not quite as difficult,_ she thought, scowling. _Meng Feng might often be a private person, but at least she's never overtly shut me out-unlike a certain someone. Even Yuwen Yue's father—who may as well be the personification of evil itself according to Yuwen Yue—was more open and honest with me. Should I even bother seeing Yuwen Yue off tonight? He doesn't need me or anything I have to offer. These days, he doesn't even seem to want_ anything _I have to offer. Why should I waste any more time when I'm not even going to get any sleep today?_

The general's weathered, careworn face appeared in her mind, and the idea that Yuwen Yue could look like that in 20 or so years sobered Xing'er. As angry as she was at Yuwen Yue and as much as he'd hurt her with his recent actions, she still loved him and cared about his well-being above all else.

 _No matter what I have to do, I can't let him become that desolate, that tired, that hopeless. Maybe if I spend more time with his father, I can eventually get the two of them to reconcile. And even if they never reconcile, I can still get to know the general on my own. Besides, Yuwen Yue's already upset at me, so what's one more item to add to my list of transgressions?_

Xing'er's mixed feelings continued to plague her during the entire ride back. How was she going to fix things between her and Yuwen Yue when she couldn't even fix things within herself?

* * *

Yuwen Yue stood in front of the entrance to Qing Shan Yuan, already anticipating another long, lonely night of guarding a man he loathed. He could've left at any time, but he was waiting for the woman he loved to see him off as had been their tradition since Yuwen Huai had been moved to the jail. Part of him wouldn't have been surprised had Xing'er failed to say goodbye tonight; he knew that his beloved was upset at his inability to sufficiently master his emotions.

He had, of course, had to talk to the Grand Concubine after her revelation about Yuwen Xi's betrayal. The hours-long visit had depleted him emotionally as he'd had to learn even more disgraceful facts about the depths of the Third Branch's depravity. Yuwen Yue had known that divulging the truth about Yuwen Xi would bring even more disgrace on his family's name, but he'd been willing to divert the emperor's attentions away from the murder investigation—away from Xing'er—at the expense of his family honor.

A few more moments elapsed, and Yuwen Yue truly began to fear that this would be the night when Xing'er finally decided that spending time with him simply wasn't worth the effort. While he understood his beloved's reasons for feeling hurt by his recent actions, he simply didn't feel capable of dealing with Xing'er when he already had so many other demands on his time. Besides, if he told Xing'er some, then he'd have to tell her all, and he knew he didn't have the mental stamina to do so.

 _Once Yuwen Huai is executed, life can return to normal and we can work things out. I'll gather my thoughts, explain a few things, kiss her senseless like I did a few nights ago…_

His mind drifted back to the pleasurable memory of waking up with Xing'er in his arms at sundown a few nights ago. She'd insisted on eating lunch while sitting on his lap, and he'd gotten the last laugh by making her fall asleep after the meal. He'd tucked her into bed, taken care of a few details, and then come back to their room and climbed into bed with her for a few satisfying hours of sleep.

As he'd predicted, she'd been a bit irritated with him for letting her sleep through supper, but he'd been able to tell that much of her complaining had been for show. Just to make sure that she hadn't been too upset with him, he'd kissed her passionately, putting that dazed look on her face that he loved so much. Yuwen Yue planned to spend the rest of his life causing that expression—or similar ones— to appear on Xing'er's face as often as possible.

Without conscious thought, his eyes were drawn to the top of the stairs as his beloved reached them. She exchanged nods with a few of the guards, telling one that she'd be taking his place shortly. Xing'er walked down the steps, a small bundle clasped in her hands. Yuwen Yue knew that the package contained snacks for the night. He'd taken some with him the night he'd skipped supper, and Xing'er had been supplying him with them for the past few nights.

"Did you put some food in there for the bird?" he asked her as he accepted the package.

"Of course not," Xing'er said, giving him one of her typical scowls. "I did, however, pack extra, so if you want to waste a few on that pest..."

"I'm sure he'll steal some when I'm not looking."

Normally, this type of banter would've comforted the spymaster, but something about the interaction seemed forced and mechanical. Xing'er seemed to just be going through the motions as if she'd just mentally checked "banter with Yuwen Yue" and "give Yuwen Yue his snacks" off of her list. She stepped away from him a bit, clearly ready to mark off "watch Yuwen Yue leave for the night" as well.

"What did you do this afternoon, Xing'er?" he asked her suddenly, trying to catch her off-guard.

Her eyes filled with momentary wariness and guilt before being taken over by ignorant innocence.

"I went racing with Meng Feng," she said, smiling at him. "Cold Fire won every time, of course. Thank you for giving him to me, Yuwen Yue."

The obvious insincerity of the response caused him to scowl at her and turn away, easily mounting his horse. He looked down at Xing'er, who was now looking up at him with a mixture of defiance and frustration. Why she would be frustrated with him, he didn't know—and at that moment, he didn't care. After all, he had an important task to carry out, and Xing'er obviously wasn't in the right frame of mind to answer his questions honestly.

 _And why might that be, oh, spymaster? h_ is snide voice taunted. _After all, you've made such a great effort to encourage Xing'er to be as honest and open with you as you've been with her. It's a wonder she's not beating down your door just to spend time with you these days._

 _I've just been busy,_ he mentally retorted as he urged his horse away from his home. _When all of this is over, then I'll get some rest, deal with Xing'er, and get on with my life—with our life._

He looked back and saw Xing'er taking her place at the entrance of Qing Shan Yuan, sword in hand and sober wariness visible in her posture. She saw him exchange a look with Yue Qi, and he remembered the task he'd set for his faithful guard captain.

 _I can't believe I forgot to ask him about Xing'er,_ he berated himself as he trotted along the road. _I must be more tired than I thought. Given her behavior, I need to find out what Yue Qi knows—and soon._

* * *

Yuwen Huai saw the lovely, mysterious woman seem to shimmer into existence in front of his cell. While he knew that the illusion was just a trick of the dim lighting, he once again couldn't help but remember _that night_. He'd become more and more convinced that Xing'er had been there and that her face having been on Yuwen Yue's mother's body had been no coincidence.

"Did you enjoy the show?" he asked the woman, casually dangling one leg off of the pallet they called a bed and canting the other.

She stared at him for a few moments before slowly withdrawing the pill from within her robes. The spy rolled it around on her fingers as she'd done before, looking at Yuwen Huai in a mocking manner. Unwilling to give her the satisfaction of a desperate response so close to his impending death, he affected an air of boredom as he watched her antics.

"As entertaining as this petty showdown has been, I have more important things to do," she finally said, lazily holding out the pill.

"Ah, yes," Yuwen Huai said, smirking. "Things to do, lives to ruin, kingdoms to topple...the life of a spy gets busier by the moment."

She responded with a cold smile. After waiting a few more moments, he slowly stood up, making a show of stretching out all of the kinks in his muscles before sauntering over to the bars and holding out his hand. The spy engaged in a bit more posturing before handing over the pill with exaggerated motions.

"I know how this poison works," Yuwen Huai said, rolling the pill in his hands. "I'll take it, and it will kill me in just a few moments. If I take it now, will you tell me who Xing'er is and why her identity matters? I'm not going to be able to tell your ingenious plan form the underworld, after all."

While the spy made a show of pondering his request, he knew she'd give in. he could tell that the woman was as arrogant as he was, and were he in her position, he would definitely want to brag to a defeated foe about his own genius.

"I'll grant your dying wish," the Liang spy said, giving him a smirk of her own. "After all, I thought your bringing the emperor's children into your argument was a clever move—and one that will likely reap dividends for us in the future."

Yuwen Huai gave her a mocking bow of thanks before placing the pill in his mouth. As he swallowed it, he felt a sudden, profound desire for this tedious thing called life to be over. The last thing he felt was the exhaled breath in his ear from a beautiful woman's mouth, which was more than most men could say. The last thing he heard was the truth and the plan, and they made him die with a smile on his face.

* * *

AN: So Yuwen Huai's role in the story comes to an end, although his legacy will live on due to his parting words to the emperor. Next Chapter: YWY finally learns where XE has been going in the afternoons; ugliness ensues. Next Next Chapter: XE continues with her plans and overhears YWY say something devastating. Next Next Next Chapter: XE puts her plan into action, but a royal intervenes; XE and YWY confrontation/resolution. Next Next Next Next Chapter: More reconciliation; others weigh in.


	11. Chapter 11

"Ah, yes," Xiao Ce said with an air of bored dismissal. "This reminds me of a small corner of one of the gardens tucked away on my palace grounds. It's very...quaint. Simplicity can be a virtue, after all."

As Yuan Song led Xiao Ce around a portion of the palace gardens, he asked himself once again whether his father was punishing him for failing to turn up incriminating evidence on Yuwen Yue or if he simply didn't want to deal with the annoying crown prince. Either option was possible-or even both.

 _Not that I can blame Father for foisting this idiot off on me,_ he thought as the foppish dandy sat daintily down on a bench and declared himself to be exhausted.

"I still haven't recovered from the trip here, you know," the man confided in Yuan Song. "I haven't even had the energy to spend quality time with my favorite concubine."

"I'm sure that must be terrible for you both," Yuan Song said, making a falsely sincere expression of which Xing'er would've been proud.

"Oh, it is," the crown prince said mournfully. "My beloved Xia Xia can't bear to be separated from me for long. We're deeply in love, after all."

"Which is why you've come here to marry my sister," Yuan Song said, smiling inanely. "That makes sense."

"Of course it does, A'Song. You don't mind if I call you A'Song, do you? Of course you don't mind. How could you? No, you won't mind me calling you A'Song any more than your sister will mind marrying me for my title if not my heart."

"But won't your...Xia Xia be upset? Since she's so deeply in love with you, I mean."

"Upset? Why would she be upset? My Xia Xia is a realist, after all. She knows how the world works. She knows that she's my favorite concubine, which gives her plenty of influence and prestige within my harem. She knows I have to marry a princess to be my empress, but my Xia Xia also knows that she'll have the bulk of the power—and my heart, of course."

"Of course," Yuan Song replied, wishing he were anywhere else.

 _No, you know exactly where you wish you were,_ he thought as Xiao Ce launched into praises of the virtues of his Xia Xia. _Right now, you're thinking of a dimly-lit cave_ _containing_ _a certain former assassin._

An image of Xing'er smiling brightly at his retelling of this incident flashed through his mind, but he realized he could much more easily envision mimicking the foppish crown prince for Meng Feng. Yuan Song admitted to himself that such thoughts were becoming more common for him, and he allowed himself to let go of any irrational feelings of guilt. After all, since Xing'er didn't love him, why should he feel obligated to stay mentally loyal to her?

He and Xiao Ce had finally resumed their walk; the prince prattled on about how everything in Liang from the women to the tea to the food to the beds were prettier, more refreshing, tastier, and more comfortable than the ones in Wei.

"Even our pottery is more attractive," he opined as he stopped and stared at a gazebo for a few moments before walking across the arched bridge. "Its quality, its artistry, its durability...all better than Wei's."

Memories of his first conversation with Meng Feng resurfaced, and he couldn't resist taking this opportunity to needle the prince a bit.

"So if some of your prized pottery went missing, you would notice, right?" he asked innocently.

"Of course I would," Xiao Ce said, sniffing. "I'm the keenest observer I know, so I would definitely notice if anything were out of place."

"So have you?" Yuan Song asked, smiling. "Noticed anything out of place, I mean?"

The crown prince looked at him quizzically.

"Well, there was that time that Xia Xia and I got a little too rough and we ended up knocking over some stuffy old statue. Father was angry, but given the fun that Xia Xia and I had, I regretted nothing."

Yuan Song captured the image of the prince's posture in his mind, vowing to try to reproduce it in exacting detail for Meng Feng. If the man was unwilling to admit that a priceless vase had come up missing, then Yuan Song was determined to be able to make a mockery of the prince for his close friend.

"You know, A'Song," Xiao Ce said, sitting down on a bench in the gazebo, "I don't think I can take another step. Why don't you be a good friend and go fetch my servants for me so that they can carry me back to the palace in my royal litter."

While part of Yuan Song resented being treated like a servant, the rest of him cheered at his good fortune and urged him to not put this opportunity of escape to waste. He took off at a brisk walk without looking back, slowing considerably once he was out of view of the gazebo.

" _Xiao Ce looked so tired, Meng Feng,"_ he imagined himself saying earnestly to his friend. _"I figured that he'd need plenty of time to rest up for the arduous journey back to the palace."_

The young prince grinned at the mental image of the smile that Meng Feng would give him in return for his joke.

 _Maybe she'll even laugh,_ he thought as he strolled at a leisurely pace towards the palace.

* * *

As Xing'er listened to Yuwen _Da Ren_ tell a humorous story from his younger years about an incident involving himself, his men, and an absurdly pompous bureaucrat, she found herself laughing for the first time in at least a week. Her relationship with Yuwen Yue had deteriorated to the degree that, when the Cangwu bird had found her alone in her room and had relayed a cryptic message about a "late lunch at the dark place," she hadn't hesitated to accept the invitation.

She'd discovered that Meng Feng and Yue Qi had been invited as well when they'd all met by accident at the stables. After talking among themselves, they'd decided that riding out together under the guise of doing some racing would look less suspicious to any observers than them all entering the stables at the same time but leaving at staggered intervals.

Xing'er had sensed a reluctance in her two friends to engage in an activity that they'd known would anger Yuwen Yue were he to find out. While she couldn't blame them for their reservations, she didn't share them in the slightest. After all, if Yuwen Yue were going to continue to push her further away, then why shouldn't she help him to do so by leaving?

 _Not that he's even here today,_ she thought as she laughed at Yuwen _Da Ren's_ mimicry of the overbearing official. _He got called to the palace again anyway, so I wouldn't have been able to do anything for him even if he'd wanted to spend time with me for a change._

She took another swig of wine from the skein that the general had given her, chuckling with the others as the elder Yuwen laid out the details of how he'd instructed his men to obey the bureaucrat's unreasonable decrees to the letter if not the spirit. Xing'er could easily empathize with the soldiers due to her own dealings with Yuwen Yue—especially over the past few weeks.

Yuwen Huai had killed himself a week ago, and Xing'er had naively expected her relationship with Yuwen Yue to return to some semblance of normal as a result. In reality, Yuwen Huai's death—and the meetings Yuwen Yue had needed to have with the emperor and the _tai fu ren_ —had seemed to cause him to withdraw from her to an even greater degree than before. No matter what she tried to do, the man would barely talk to her at all, much less open up to her.

Another laugh rang out in the wild garden area in which they were currently dining, and Xing'er joined in even though she hadn't heard the joke. Xing'er took a bite of the smoked meat that the general had brought with him, amused at his choice of cuisine. Perhaps he was testing her and her friends to see if they'd stoop to eat lowly military fare on worn benches in an untended garden. If so, the joke was on him considering their backgrounds.

 _All of us have probably eaten worse things in worse locations,_ she mused as she munched on a hunk of bread. _One upside of having lost most of my memories is that at least I don't remember many of the bad things that have likely happened to me._

"So Moron _Da Ren_ finally leaves our encampment and heads off to terrorize some other camp, and another general comes in to take his place. When we greet him the way that the other general had required...Oh, man...the look on his face….He said...He said… 'What are you guys doing? Who do you think I am? The Yellow Emperor? Get up and get going! We don't have time for pomp and circumstance!"

"Somehow I don't think that's exactly what he said," Yue Qi said, grinning suggestively as the rest of them chuckled.

"Not exactly," the general said, raising a piece of bread in mock salute. "After all, there are ladies present."

"Where?" Yue Qi asked, looking around him in exaggerated bewilderment.

Meng Feng and Xing'er feigned indignation while Yue Qi and the general laughed some more.

Xing'er couldn't keep herself from marveling at the transformation that had taken place in Yuwen Yue's father. While she knew that the wine had likely helped to loosen the man up, she'd enjoyed seeing the worn, faded melancholy give way to a wicked sense of humor and an ability to tell a story that had probably helped him to bond with his men around a campfire.

 _I can't forget what this man did to his family so long ago, but I can tell that he's sorry for his actions and regrets them bitterly. No matter what mistakes he may have made, I can't make myself dislike him._

"So, Xing'er," the general said, catching her off-guard. "Why don't you tell us a story?"

"Ah?"

"Well, you fell in love with my son and found a way to make him fall in love with you. In the time those two extraordinary events took place, you must have at least one great story to tell."

Yue Qi snickered at her and Meng Feng smiled.

"Yuan Song told me a story he'd heard about a fight with another maid that ended with Xing'er going over the side of a cliff and ending up in a secret cave," the former assassin said.

"And from whom did _His Highness_ hear the story?" Xing'er asked archly.

Meng Feng had the grace to look sheepish.

"Yan Xun."

"Mmph," she grunted. "Figures. Why would he tell _His Highness_ that old story anyway?"

"Why don't you tell us 'that old story' and let us decide?" the general requested.

"Please do, Xing'er," Yue Qi said with twinkling eyes. "I've been dying to know the details of that one myself—especially the part about you and Yan Xun spending time together in a secret cave."

Xing'er scowled at them but couldn't think of a graceful way to turn down her future father-in-law's invitation.

"Where do I even begin?" Xing'er muttered, causing Yue Qi to smirk again.

"Are you having to untangle your complicated web, Xing'er?"

She ignored him as she began her tale.

"Jin Shu and I were against each other from the start. I later learned that she was an operative for the Third Branch who carried out various tasks on their behalf."

Xing'er started as she looked at the general and saw that his face had gone from genial to hard.

"I know that you of all people know what the Third Branch is...was capable of," she said softly. "Jin Shu carried out a plot hatched by the Third Branch to murder Yuwen Zhuo while framing my brother in the process as the fall guy who got executed for his death. I owed her for that alone."

The general nodded curtly in commiseration.

"She became especially resentful of me after I won the contest that Yuwen Yue held in order to select a bedchamber maid—a competition that he'd decided to hold after Yuwen Xi had tried to bully him into taking Jin Shu as his bedchamber maid directly."

Yue Qi chuckled as Xing'er recounted the details of the competition and the courtyard fights that she'd had with the silver bell in simpler times. She did her best to speak about Yuwen Yue as little as possible, not wanting to ruin the good time she'd been having here by talking about the man whose love for her had become nonexistent. Eventually she had no choice, however.

"So when Yuwen Yue's annual bout of typhoid approached, the house guards and I stood guard outside of his rooms while he centered himself within."

Xing'er looked up and saw a haunted look in the general's eyes and realized that this man must've dealt with those early times of illness before-

 _Don't think about that,_ she thought as she outlined the basics of their guarding strategy and the way that she ended up with the Jade Snow Dog in the first place.

"Honestly, I can't remember much about what happened next," she admitted. "The Jade Snow Dog made me go into a...a trance, I guess; all I can remember is holding a sword up over Yuwen Yue and bringing it down on a snake. I think I also remember Yuwen Yue holding me in his arms."

"You would remember that part," Yue Qi said, grinning.

Xing'er scowled at him again.

"You did save the master, though," Yue Qi admitted. "We were suspicious of you at the time, but you did defend the master from the snakes and had the presence of mind to cut his arms open to keep the venom from spreading."

"Oh."

"In return, the master saved your life, using the Jade Snow Dog to rebind your powers—at great personal risk, of course."

"Oh."

Xing'er didn't notice the warning look Meng Feng was sending Yue Qi at first because she was wrapped up in remembering a time when Yuwen Yue had cared enough about her to tend her so tenderly. But the look made her realize that she'd told the amiable general more information than she'd given almost anyone, and she vowed to be more careful.

She narrated the events of the trial, steering suspicion away from her sisters and speaking instead about how she'd caught Jin Shu in her lies.

"You're not seriously going to try to convince me that your sisters weren't guilty, are you, Xing'er?" Yue Qi asked.

"Of course not," Xing'er retorted. "I'm not going to mention them at all."

"That means they are guilty," Yue Qi said, grinning again. "I knew it."

Xing'er sighed.

"Only one of them was guilty—and I'm not going to tell you which one."

"Oh, nobody cares anymore, Xing'er," he said. "The Third Branch is dead, your sisters have been freed, and everyone's made fresh beginnings for themselves."

"Right," Xing'er murmured. "Everyone..."

 _Everyone but me,_ her mind completed her thought. _I thought I had a new beginning with Yuwen Yue, but that fresh start has turned into cold shoulders, taciturn silences, and resentful stares._

"So this involves the cliff...how?"

"Sorry, Yuwen _Da Ren_ ," Xing'er said with a start. "I was..."

"Thinking about my son; I know. That happens a lot with you, doesn't it?"

"So Jin Shu outed herself with her contradictory stories, and Yuwen Yue had her whipped," Xing'er said as if the elder Yuwen hadn't said anything.

"After he gave you the option of whipping her yourself, Xing'er, which you turned down," Yue Qi said with a smirk. "I knew you'd leave that part out. You impressed the master a great deal with that move."

"I wanted him to think I was different from Jin Shu, so I decided to let him mete out justice. Even though I hadn't whipped her myself, she'd lost so much face that she tried to get back at me by concocting a plan."

"The one that led to the cliff," the general said.

"Right," Xing'er said before telling them about Jin Shu's scheme and her own plan.

"So this maid tried to stop you from throwing the jar over the cliff's edge, I take it?" the general asked.

"Yes. She started yelling, succeeding in drawing the attention of the men who had conveniently followed Jin Shu out to the cliffside. So I jammed the jar of snakes into her stomach, grabbed her arm where the men couldn't see, and jumped backwards off of the cliff, acting like she'd pushed me."

"I take it you didn't fall to your death."

"Not that I know of, _Da Ren._ "

"So you had, what? A grappling hook?"

"Right."

"And you deployed it and just...dangled there like a fish on a line?"

"Pretty much."

"And that was your master plan? To hang there until they all went away, climb back up the rope, and go back to Qing Shan Yuan like nothing had happened?"

"Yes."

"You know, that wasn't the best-laid plan, but considering that I've made some like that myself that have worked, I can't say anything."

"Thank you, _Da Ren_."

"And then you ended up in the secret cave with Yan Xun," Meng Feng said.

"Right. I...impressed upon him the importance of keeping quiet until the men left."

"You held a knife at his throat."

"Like I said: I impressed upon him the importance of keeping quiet."

"And then you tried to kiss him in gratitude for keeping your presence a secret."

"What?!"

"That's what Yuan S—His Highness told me Yan Xun told him."

"I'm going to get him back for that the next time I see him," Xing'er muttered.

"So I take it you didn't try to kiss Yan Xun?" Yue Qi asked.

Xing'er glared at him in reply.

"So afterwards, you just...climbed to safety with Yan Xun and went back to Qing Shan Yuan?" the general asked with an air of disbelief.

"Yes."

"And nobody said anything about your miraculous reappearance?"

"Right."

"Nobody seemed to be surprised to see that you had come back to life with no explanation?"

"No one."

The general stared at her for a few moments before bursting into laughter.

"Yue Qi, could you shed some light on that?"

"Honestly, the master and I knew that the whole affair had been a setup from the beginning, so we didn't care about the petty details," he said. "We just wanted to see how Xing'er would react to the situation, and somehow she did something that led to Jin Shu being found dead along the side of the road."

Yue Qi looked at Xing'er expectantly. She sighed.

"I snuck out that night and broke into the jail," she admitted.

"I knew it!"

"I broke her out and gave her a chance to start a new life as an iron bell elsewhere. She didn't take it. I also planted a certificate for the freeing of slaves stamped with Yuwen Yue's seal at the bottom of the bag. Apparently Yuwen Huai found it when she crawled back to him."

Yue Qi grinned maniacally.

"But you still had time to go back to your room, take off your clothes, and get into bed before the master showed up."

"So Yue'er figured out what had happened, did he?"

"He was immensely suspicious of Xing'er," Yue Qi said with a grin. "In fact, he was so suspicious that he pulled the covers away from Xing'er's body when she refused to stand up because he assumed she was wearing her sneaking clothing."

"I take it she wasn't."

"No, Yuwen _Da Ren_ ," Yue Qi said, smirking. "She was only wearing a shift. My master got to see more than he'd expected, I can tell you that much."

Yue Qi and the general continued to banter about the ending of the tale, but Xing'er's mind was drawn to the memory of the scowl that Yuwen Yue had given her that night and how similar it was to those he'd given her this past week.

 _And how unlike the touches and kisses he used to give me...has it really only been a week or two ago? It feels like a lifetime ago._

"Yo!" Yue Qi said, chortling. "What I really want to know, Xing'er, is what happened on Lantern Festival Night."

Xing'er scowled.

"You know what I spent that night doing, Xing'er," he said, looking at her meaningfully. "You owe me."

Memories of that night assaulted her, taking her back in time. She'd looked back on the incident with fondness numerous times since she and Yuwen Yue had declared their love for one another, but those memories caused her nothing but pain now.

"I don't want to talk about that," she said. "I do, however, owe you for Mrs. Song, so I can at least tell you what happened to her."

"Thanks, Xing'er, but I've managed to piece that bit of the story together myself."

"Do you think I killed her?"

He gaped at her, obviously not expecting her to ask him that question so boldly. The general was watching in fascination, amusement dancing in his eyes.

"Aren't you going to answer the lady's question?" the general asked.

"Well...that is...Xing'er..."

"You do, don't you? Well, since you think I killed her, you obviously don't know all the details."

"But...but...but...the bracelet!"

"Yes, the bracelet—that she grabbed while I was trying to save her."

"I'm assuming there's an actual story in this conversation that's just dying to get out," the general said.

Xing'er sighed before narrating the story about how Mrs. Song had ambushed them in the graveyard and fought them all the way to the stone bridge. At the end of the tale, Yue Qi let out an incredulous blurt of laughter.

"The master and I thought for sure that you'd killed her, Xing'er," he said, still laughing.

"Yes, well, there are plenty of things the master thinks about me that are wrong," Xing'er muttered with a frown.

"And what things would those be, Xing'er?" the last voice she wanted to hear rang out from behind her.

Xing'er didn't need to see the various negative expressions on the faces of her companions to identify the speaker. A sense of inevitability settled over her like a worn and faded robe as she braced herself for the upcoming conflict. She stood up and turned around, coming face to face with the man who supposedly loved her.

* * *

From boyhood, Yuwen Yue had been trained to keep a firm grip on his emotions and to never lose control of himself. Those lessons had come in handy when he'd crept through the remnants of Hei Shan Yuan in search of the source of the voices and laughter he'd heard from the entrance. He had left his horse tied up outside, not wanting to give away his presence to anyone in the courtyard until the time of his choosing.

The spymaster had, of course, been able to deduce the identities of three of the four riders he'd tracked all the way to the abandoned courtyard. Cold Fire's tracks had been the most distinctive, but he'd had no trouble recognizing the hoofprints of the horse he'd once given to Xing'er and the horse that his guard captain rode.

That fourth set of hoofprints that had been ridden over by the three riders, however, had troubled him as he'd approached Hei Shan Yuan. Three sets of hoofprints had entered the road from the woods, but the fourth...the fourth had come on a pathway that few would've known existed—a way that would eventually take a rider to Chang'an. The obvious possibility had presented itself to him immediately, but he'd dismissed the idea as too fantastical.

Yuwen Yue's denial had lasted until he'd managed to creep into the back portion of the overgrown garden, taking advantage of some thick hedges that had concealed him while allowing him to peer through. His training had been put to the test as he'd observed every person he'd deemed the most loyal to him—even his _bird_ —laughing and joking with his estranged father as if the man hadn't finished the destruction of his family that Yuwen Xi had begun.

 _I can excuse Meng Feng,_ he'd thought as the woman had grinned in amusement at Xing'er's tale. _After all, she's only been here for a few months. We don't really know each other all that well. She's not my slave or even, really, my servant. Besides, I could easily see her deciding to come along in order to keep Xing'er out of trouble._

 _Yue Qi, I'm going to punish,_ he thought, scowling as his faithful lieutenant cracked jokes with a man he knew Yuwen Yue despised. _He's my most trusted right hand, and he lied to me when I asked him about where Xing'er had gone. I know the truth now: She didn't just go racing with Meng Feng like he said; they probably raced and then came here afterwards. I foresee numerous muckings of Cold Fire's stall in store for Yue Qi._

 _Xing'er...Xing'er I'm going to punish the most harshly,_ he vowed as he watched her telling her father things she'd never even told him. _How can she tell him this story as if it means nothing to her—to_ him _of all people? She's the ringleader of this little gathering—Xing'er and my father. I know they planned this together. Xing'er probably got a great thrill from going behind my back. She's mad at me for not bending to her will, so now she's punishing me by spending time with my father in this terrible place._

The perfect opportunity to reveal himself came right after Xing'er told his most trusted people and his father about his supposedly poor judgment. Yue Qi's face looked panicked, while Meng Feng's reflected chagrin. His father looked resigned, as if he'd gambled on the battlefield and lost.

Xing'er's back was to him, but as she stood up and turned around, he saw a mixture of defiance and self-righteousness in her eyes that both heated and chilled his blood at the same time. Judging from her own expression, she saw equally negative emotions in his own gaze. The rage he'd been holding back started to take hold of him, straining against its chains and growling in acknowledgment of the inevitability of the upcoming confrontation between himself and his fiance.

"Since Xing'er seems to be taking a long time to think about this question, you should take your horses back to Qing Shan Yuan," he said to Meng Feng and Yue Qi. "They don't seem to enjoy being here, so you should remove them as soon as possible."

"Yes, Master," they both said meekly.

"Once you get to the stables, make sure that your horses' stalls are clean. They looked a bit dirty when I left, so they need to be thoroughly mucked out."

"Yes, Master."

"Be sure to muck out Cold Fire's stall as well so that he'll be greeted with a clean stall once he's returned."

"Yes, Master."

The two lost no time in leaving, making hurried goodbyes to Xing'er and his father. His parrot flew off of his perch and tried to leave with them, but Yuwen Yue wasn't about to let the bird leave unscathed.

"Since you obviously had plenty to eat here, you won't need to go by the kitchens for the rest of the day, will you?"

Yuwen Yue had never seen the bird look so thoroughly cowed as he bobbed his head. Of course, the parrot had to ruin that image by briefly landing on Xing'er's shoulder, nuzzling her cheek with his head, and calling her a fool before flying away. He watched the brightly-colored creature grow smaller in the sky through eyes narrowed in disapproval. At last, he was alone with his father and Xing'er, both of whom looked ready for a fight.

 _Interesting,_ Yuwen Yue noted as he examined both people standing before him. _Father looks like he's on the defensive while Xing'er looks like she's on the offensive. I'll get rid of Father first, I think._

"Since Xing'er still seems to be pondering my question, maybe we should talk, Father," Yuwen Yue said with a calmness that he knew was belied by the blaze in his eyes.

"I'm sorry I'm taking so long, Yuwen Yue," Xing'er said brightly. "You're wrong about so many things that sorting them out in my head is proving difficult. I can think about your mistakes elsewhere, though, so I'll leave you two alone."

The spymaster glared at Xing'er as she sauntered away and entered another part of the wild garden. She seemed completely unperturbed by the battle to come, while Yuwen Yue was a roiling mass of emotion.

"Would you care to explain yourself, Father?" Yuwen Yue asked, his eyes still on Xing'er as she disappeared behind an overgrown stand of bamboo that had taken over that section of the garden.

"Explain what, Yue'er?" he asked with an innocent expression that would've made Xing'er envious. "I don't see anything particularly confusing about today's events."

Yuwen Yue bestowed his sternest look on his father, but it seemed to have no effect.

"Why did you invite my most loyal people out to this desolate place to have a...whatever you were having?" he said, his eyes reflecting contempt of both his father and the refreshments.

His father blinked at him placidly before saying, "I wanted to get to know my future daughter-in-law and her friends better, so I invited her back to this place after meeting her several days ago here."

"So she was here before today."

"Yes. She was clean-"

"I don't care what she was doing," Yuwen Yue said. "Not that I'm surprised that she ended up here. Xing'er is particularly good at finding trouble."

"So I see," his father said, looking at him meaningfully.

"You still haven't explained why you were here."

"Do I need a reason to be here? After all, last time I checked, this place—such as it is—was still mine."

"Oh, yes," Yuwen Yue said with a sneer. "This place definitely suits you. Falling apart, neglected, useless, still managing to cause trouble after all these years of abandonment..."

To his satisfaction, his father's eyes hardened.

"I can see there's no reasoning with you today, Yue'er. I should leave first."

"Of course, Father," Yuwen Yue said. "You should do what you always do: Make trouble for your family before running away."

Anger radiated from his father, but to his frustration, the man refused to lash out at him.

"I hope you never know what losing the woman you love feels like," his father said calmly. "You just might if you don't watch what you say to Xing'er today. If you try to corner her-"

"Don't you dare lecture me about losing a woman," Yuwen Yue said, glowering. "The last man I would ever take advice from on that topic is you."

"Who better to give such advice than one who's lived through a specific situation? Who knows more about losing a woman due to inattentiveness and bad choices than me? I'm telling you, Yue'er: Don't-"

Without another word, Yuwen Yue turned his back on his father and strode briskly away. Had he not done so, he would've planted his fist in his father's face. How dare the man try to tell him what to do about Xing'er? As if he knew anything about having a successful relationship with a woman.

 _No, Father,_ he thought as he stalked towards the bamboo stand in which Xing'er had disappeared. _Xing'er and I need to address our problems in a straightforward, open manner. If we don't, then we'll resolve nothing. How could I lose Xing'er at this point? She already loves me. Surely she'll be able to see the logic of my positions, and her heart will do the rest. Father, I'm not going to let you ruin my family again._

Yuwen Yue tried to remain cool, collected, and logical, but the farther into the garden he went, the darker his thoughts became. Part of him realized that now was not a good time to have this confrontation, but the rest of him just wanted to resolve the situation and move on.

 _After all, hasn't Xing'er been trying to force me to talk to her, anyway?_ Yuwen Yue thought as he rounded a bend and saw her staring into a stagnant pond. _Why should she complain if I finally give her her greatest wish?_

Xing'er turned to face him, and his father's warning about not backing her into a corner flitted through his mind. The foliage had grown up to the edge of the pond, giving the entire area a closed-in feel that unsettled him even more. The area didn't seem to be bringing out the best in Xing'er, either, but he wasn't about to suggest they move somewhere else.

 _If this is where she wants to talk, then this is where we'll talk._

"So, Xing'er," he began, "have you finally figured out how to answer my question? After all, I thought you wanted to talk to me. Isn't that why you've been looking at me with those pleading expressions over the past couple of weeks? Because you wanted to pressure me into talking to you?"

"Is that what you really think?" Xing'er asked, pain evident on her face that Yuwen Yue tried to ignore.

"Of course," he said placidly. "What other explanation could there be? I know how you are when you're trying to persuade me to do something, Xing'er."

"Then you should also recognize the way I look when I'm concerned about you."

"Concerned," he murmured. "Is that what you call it?"

"Among other things."

"I'm sure there are other things, Xing'er."

"What do you want me to say?" she asked, frustration evident in her bearing. "That I'm sorry for not wanting you to suffer alone? That I'm sorry for being hurt when you deliberately shut me out of your life? That I'm sorry for not being able to read your mind so that I can know what you want me to say and do?"

"Those are noble sentiments, Xing'er. Of course, they would hold more weight if I hadn't just caught you eating lunch with the man who ripped my family apart."

"Yuwen Xi's spirit was here?" she asked with exaggerated terror as she whipped her head in every direction. "Where was it? I must've missed it."

Yuwen Yue's mouth thinned.

"You know that I'm referring to my father, Xing'er."

"Oh. Sorry. I got confused for a moment. Yuwen Xi's presence wouldn't have improved this conversation at all."

 _She's not even taking this conversation seriously now, so why should I?_

"You never really did answer my question, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said, arrogant mask firmly in place. "What do I believe about you that's wrong? Enlighten me."

"Well, Yuwen Yue, I already told you that you were wrong about why I tried so hard to talk to you, but I'm not surprised that you misunderstood my motives once again."

"Poor Xing'er is always so misunderstood."

"By you, anyway. Other people don't seem to have such a problem."

"Like my father? Yes, he pretended to be very understanding while he was sucking information out of you."

"Your father and I have had several nice conversations; he said he wanted to get to know me better. He seems to genuinely regret the bad decisions he made in the past."

"Of course he wants to get to know you better, Xing'er," he scoffed. "He probably figured out that we're engaged and wanted to find some sort of angle to get you on his side."

"His side?" Xing'er asked in bewilderment. "What side? What are you talking about, Yuwen Yue?"

"My father is a persuasive man."

"That seems to be a general Yuwen trait."

"He's also a manipulative man."

"Which is also a general Yuwen trait."

"He takes what he wants when he wants from whoever he wants and then turns his back on the person when he's done."

"You still haven't mentioned anything that isn't a general Yuwen trait."

"Fine. Spend time with him if you want. When he turns on you, don't blame me."

"Don't worry; I won't blame you—not for this, anyway."

"You'll just blame me for everything else."

"Of course. Because everything else is your fault."

"And nothing is ever Xing'er's fault. How convenient."

"I never said that nothing was my fault."

"So what do you think was your fault, Xing'er? Name one thing."

"I...I…I..."

"That's what I thought. You'll never be able to admit to being at fault."

"What about you, Yuwen Yue? Will you admit to anything you've done wrong over the past few weeks? I'll bet you won't."

"I made the mistake of thinking that we could have a mature conversation wherein we could work out our differences in a logical way. That's obviously not going to happen."

"Not by your definition, anyway, which is likely, 'Xing'er agrees with all of my positions because I'm right about everything and she's wrong about everything.'"

Yuwen Yue would've appreciated her mimicry of him under other circumstances, but the humor was lost on him at that moment.

"What am I wrong about, Xing'er? Am I wrong to feel entitled to my privacy? Am I wrong to expect my fiance to stay away from undesirable people and places?"

"This place and its current company are becoming less desirable by the second," Xing'er said. "And if you're entitled to your privacy, then I'm definitely entitled to mine—which means being able to spend my free time my way."

"By doing things that you know I wouldn't want you to do?"

"Because merely knowing that the great, all-knowing Yuwen Yue doesn't want me to do something automatically makes it wrong," Xing'er mocked. "Of course."

"The wrongness of your decisions should've been readily apparent."

"Because they were different from the ones you would've wanted me to make? You can't even accuse me of disobedience since you never forbade me from doing anything I've done lately."

"Should I have to overtly instruct you to not spend time with my estranged father in his abandoned courtyard? I thought you'd grown more intelligent over the past several months, Xing'er. How disappointing to learn otherwise."

"Maybe you would've learned about my deficiencies sooner had you spent more time with me over the past few weeks."

"Of course you're going to blame me for having to guard Yuwen Huai."

"No, I'm going to blame you for turning me away in those rare moments when you were home and awake. Feel free to turn yourself into the Great Martyr of Wei, though; don't let me stop you."

"If you hadn't have tried to pressure me to spend time with you, then maybe I would've been more eager to do so."

"Of course you're going to blame me for your own sins, Yuwen Yue. You always have."

"Just like you've always blamed me for your own foolish choices—even after I've rescued you from them."

"What foolish choice were you supposedly rescuing me from this time? Actually getting to know your father so I could form my own opinion of him? Spending some personal time with friends without your permission or presence? Exploring an interesting place that's given me answers about the past?"

"Your eloquence is on full display today, Xing'er. How fortunate for me that this wasn't one of your incoherent days."

"I can't help the fact that your idiocy sometimes leaves me speechless."

"Your selfish self-righteousness sometimes has the same effect on me."

"So 'self-righteousness' is the word you use for those times when I'm right but you don't want to admit it. I'll remember that, Yuwen Yue. As for selfishness, what can be more selfish than refusing to spend time with me yourself yet getting angry at me when I seek companionship elsewhere?"

"And now we're back to the issue of how resentful of me you are for not spending more time with you while an entire kingdom has been trying its best to break me. I'm so glad we're resolving our issues today, Xing'er."

"I've been trying to resolve issues with you for weeks, Yuwen Yue! Don't pretend that you've even tried to do so until today. As always, your definition of 'resolving issues' is to state your positions over and over again until I agree with their self-evident rightness. You're not talking _with_ me; you're talking _at_ me—which is, at least, a slight improvement over rejecting me in front of every servant and guard at Qing Shan Yuan."

"If you hadn't have-"

"Done something that you would've had no problem with me doing a few short weeks ago? Yes, how foolish of me to assume that you would treat me the way you'd been treating me for months. I suppose I should've known that you were about to revert to your true personality. See, Yuwen Yue? I can admit to being at fault. I never should've expected you to actually let me into your life on a permanent basis. I never should've expected you to treat me like a partner. I never should've expected you to be willing to share your life with me."

Yuwen Yue grew stone-faced as Xing'er struck at the heart of their relationship.

"Perhaps I have been at fault, too. I never should've expected you to be able to handle the amount of secrets I have to keep in my line of work. I never should've expected you to be able to stay out of my business when it doesn't concern you. I never should've expected you to be honest about...anything, really."

"Honest?!" Xing'er blurted, her eyes blazing even brighter. "Honest?! Why aren't you at the palace, Yuwen Yue? Isn't that where you said you were going to be today? How did you manage to be both here and there at the same time? Tell me, Yuwen Yue: Did you get summoned to the palace today, get there, and discover that your meeting had been canceled? Or did you make up the summons in the first place?"

Yuwen Yue squirmed internally as Xing'er caught him in a lie.

"Had you and Yue Qi been honest with me from the start, I never would've had to deceive you in order to figure out the truth."

"There you go again, blaming others for your sins. Your lies are not your fault—they're Xing'er's fault. They're Yue Qi's fault. They're Meng Feng's fault. They're your father's fault. Maybe they're even your parrot's fault. But they're definitely not Yuwen Yue's fault. And even if they are your fault, that doesn't matter because they're justifiable. Your lies are always justifiable to you, Yuwen Yue. I'm sure you felt justified in promising to speak with me about your visits with the Grand Concubine, too, even though you knew that you were lying."

The spymaster could tell that Xing'er was getting angrier and angrier and her responses more and more passionate, but he found himself becoming more and more weary.

 _This is going nowhere,_ he fumed as the closed-in environment of the ruined garden pressed in on him. _I need to end this one way or another. Maybe we can continue this fight another time when she's more reasonable._

"As enjoyable as this...discussion has been, I have more important things to do, Xing'er. Maybe we can talk some more when your emotions are less in control of your mouth."

"I'm sure you'll make plenty of time to talk to me in the future, Yuwen Yue," Xing'er said, smiling sweetly. "I'm sure you'll be honest, open-minded, and understanding when you're done with your...important things. You certainly won't punish us all for your wrong-doings like you always do when your emotions are in control of your actions."

"Of course I'll have to punish people," he said. "How could I not given the circumstances?"

"I would never expect you to be fair and reasonable given the circumstances, Yuwen Yue; you don't have to worry about that. I know you're going to punish Meng Feng even though she's not your slave and she did nothing but spend time with me here. You're going to punish Yue Qi for deceiving you about where we were even though you deceived him about your own whereabouts just this morning. And me—of course you're going to punish me. You always punish me even when I don't deserve it—especially when I don't deserve it," Xing'er said, her eyes wild with defiance, pain, and a host of other negative emotions.

"You'll say I disobeyed you, but what you'll mean is that I did something outside of your control. Instead of mooning around and waiting for you to decide that you wanted to spend time with me again, I took matters into my own hands. You can't stand that, can you, Yuwen Yue? You can't stand that, even after deliberately shutting me out for so long, I managed to spend time with people who enjoy my company and who want to be with me. Well, I'm sorry, Yuwen Yue. I'm not your slave anymore. I'm not your play-thing that you can toy with and then discard at will. I'm not going to be some meek, submissive wife who unquestionably obeys her husband even when he's being a pompous, arrogant, hypocritical, selfish, deceitful typical Yuwen male!"

Xing'er was practically panting, and her eyes were swimming with unshed tears that seemed to bubble up from a wellspring of rage. Yuwen Yue managed to keep his temper and hide his pain, falling back instinctively on the training he'd received since boyhood and the caustic mockery that had been his weapon of choice for years.

"Yes, Xing'er, I can see that you're never going to be such a wife," he said. "In fact, given that description of me—which sounds like it came straight from the _tai fu ren_ , by the way—I'm amazed that you agreed to marry me at all. Maybe my father's decision to get to know you better was a bit premature."

The pain Yuwen Yue saw form in Xing'er's eyes didn't satisfy him like he'd expected. Of course, nothing these days seemed to satisfy, so why should this experience be any different? His mind briefly flashed back to a week or so ago when he'd put that dazed expression on Xing'er's face after kissing her passionately and he wondered how they'd gotten here from there so quickly.

"Maybe it was premature," she said, face hard as ice. "Even so, I don't regret meeting him, finding some answers, and spending some time with my friends. I do regret wasting my time here with you, however; I, like you, have more important things to do. Don't worry, Young Master Yue; your servant, Xing'er, won't burden you with her self-righteous, emotional presence any longer. Xing'er will leave first."

She gave him a mocking bow and leaped onto a tree limb, quickly disappearing from the small clearing using the escape route that she'd clearly planned in advance. Yuwen Yue felt frozen in place—or maybe he felt as dead and rotten inside as the foul-smelling, brackish pond before him. Part of him couldn't believe what had just happened, but part of him wasn't surprised that Luo He's daughter could manage to cause so much trouble and pain for the last of the Yuwen clan.

The sound of pounding hoofbeats rang out from the courtyard, and Yuwen Yue recognized the cadence of Cold Fire's gait. He briefly imagined Xing'er bypassing Qing Shan Yuan and riding straight out of his life, but he knew she wouldn't do so. After all, she still had her sisters to think about, and she'd made good friends at Qing Shan Yuan outside of himself.

 _She'll come back to me,_ he thought as he began the trek out of the ruined garden. _She always does. She can't leave me. She can't stay away from me. This time will be no different from the others. She'll come to see that I'm right even if she won't admit it. She'll stew for a time, but she'll conclude that her life at Qing Shan Yuan is better than her life would likely be elsewhere for both herself and her sisters, so she'll stay. Maybe she'll even apologize—in that roundabout Xing'er kind of way, of course. She really is incapable of admitting herself to be at fault._

As Yuwen Yue mounted his horse outside of the forsaken courtyard, he kicked it into a brisk trot, ready to be away from this cursed place that held nothing but bad memories. The past was still managing to ruin the present; maybe this was the heavens' way of repaying him for killing off his uncle and cousin.

 _I refuse to think of Yuwen Huai as my brother any longer,_ he thought, scowling.

His face darkened even further as he noticed that, instead of heading back towards Qing Shan Yuan, Cold Fire's hoofprints led down the same road that his father had traveled to get here—the road to Chang'an. Xing'er's defiant message was clear, and he spurred his horse towards home in as foul a mood as he'd been in since...since…

 _When was the last time you were actually in a good mood, oh, spymaster? Maybe that's why our lady love is currently riding hard and fast away from you—and towards your father. Had you trusted her with your feelings, had you shown her even a modicum of affection, all of this could've been prevented, you know._

Yuwen Yue argued with the snide side of himself all the way back to Qing Shan Yuan, determined to defend himself against any accusations of wrongdoing—even if they came from himself.

* * *

A feminine moan sounded from the heavily-shrouded bed, followed quickly by a male counterpart that caused its maker to imagine the guards and servants exchanging wide-eyed glances due to its loudness and length.

 _Or maybe they've gotten used to our noises by now,_ Xiao Ce thought with a mischievous smile as he and Xia Xia continued to make exaggerated erotic noises in order to keep up appearances.

"Oh. Your. Highness," Xia Xia moaned between kisses—regrettably made on her own arm, of course.

"Xia Xia!" he hissed before making a guttural grunt that had Xia Xia rolling her eyes.

"Don't stop, Your Highness!"

"Do I ever stop, Xia Xia?"

"Only...when it's..."

"When it's too hot," Xiao Ce said, sighing in exaggerated exasperation. "It's no use, Xia Xia. I just can't..."

"I know, my love," Xia Xia said, her eyes gleaming wickedly while her voice projected soothing disappointment. "Not everyone likes it hot, after all."

Xiao Ce flashed Xia Xia a foxy grin even as he yelled once again for the poor, unfortunate servants who were tasked with obeying his every whim. Hurried, harried footsteps sounded from nearby as a couple of maids scurried into the room. He stuck his head out from behind the curtains and gave the maids a suave but exasperated grin.

"You have underestimated Xia Xia's ability to warm me up," he said with a foxy leer. "It's way too hot in here even for someone from Liang. I have to have the temperature just so in order to perform, and I don't want to let my beloved Xia Xia down. You don't want me to disappoint my Xia Xia, do you?"

A chorus of timid negative replies rang out.

"Of course you don't. You surely know my reputation, after all. Now be good girls and cool this place down so that my Xia Xia and I can get back to business."

They hurriedly agreed and scuttled off to carry out their duties.

"I'm glad you were nice to them this time," Xia Xia said, giving him a small but genuine smile.

"I think the servants and guards might be the only people with any sense in all of Wei."

"I don't think we have to worry about Wei conquering Liang any time soon, Your Highness," she agreed with a smirk.

"You could combine the minds of Emperor Eyeliner, Prince Puppy, and Princess Prissy and still not produce as much intelligence as you have in that lovely head of yours—much less in mine."

"You really know how to compliment a concubine, Your Highness."

"I know, Xia Xia."

They smirked at each other for another few moments before mutually deciding to get down to business.

"So two more days? Three? Or are you ready to move on, Your Highness?"

"I think we should honor these people with our presence for a couple more days, Xia Xia. After all, they'd be so lonely without us."

"I'm sure we're their favorite people. Princess Prissy must be begging Emperor Eyeliner for your hand in marriage even as we speak."

"Is she really that bad, Xia Xia?"

"Not as bad as she could be," she admitted. "True, she is spoiled, naive, sheltered, selfish, and capricious, but she also struck me as open, honest, generous, curious, and loyal. I can't help but feel that she has a good heart underneath it all."

Xiao Ce conveyed his feelings on the princess to Xia Xia.

"She's not my type at all, Xia Xia. She's too...too..."

"Too Chun'er-like?"

"Exactly."

"So we'll stay around the palace for two more days, and then we'll…?"

Xiao Ce stared off into the middle distance for a few moments.

"We need to visit Qing Shan Yuan," he murmured. "It's the headquarters of the Eyes of God and the ancestral home of the Yuwens. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to learn news of my darling sister there."

"So we'll go there next?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "We don't want to be too obvious in our interest. Besides, there are plenty of powerful families who live in Chang'an itself who would be glad to take me into their homes."

"And throw their daughters into your bed."

"Only if they're willing to fix the temperature first."

Xia Xia stifled a snort with her hand.

"Speaking of which, I think it's getting cooler, Your Highness."

"So it is, Xia Xia. We'll wait a few more minutes before we start complaining about the cold, though."

"Naturally. Of course, we'll have to scandalize the servants and guards some more before we reach that point."

"That's my favorite part, Xia Xia."

"I thought your favorite part was harassing Prince Puppy."

"Nobody compares to you, Xia Xia."

"Is he really that bad, Your Highness?"

"Not as bad as he could be," Xiao Ce admitted. "He and his sister share many qualities, I think. He's clueless and unobservant, but there's an...an earnest decency to him, I guess."

"So he's no more my type than the princess is yours."

"You're my one true love, Xia Xia."

She shot him another small smile.

"I know I am, Your Highness. You actually trust and respect me—unlike those ditzes you married."

"I don't think the rest of my harem would like Wei at all."

"I haven't been that impressed myself. In fact, only your sister could be incompetent enough to have somehow failed to take this place over by now."

"I have a feeling the reason for Wei's continued existence will likely be found out of town, Xia Xia."

"At Qing Shan Yuan," she said, nodding. "Yuwen Yue must be the only competent man in all of Wei. Except..."

"Except what, Xia Xia? Surely you're not going to tell me that you've discovered hidden depths within someone."

"Maybe. I overheard some of the servant girls gossiping about how Prince Puppy was the man who found out the truth about Yuwen Xi's alliance with Liang."

"Indeed?" Xiao Ce said, eyebrows rising. "How did I manage not to hear that, Xia Xia?"

"I thought we already established that your hearing is selective, Your Highness."

"True, Xia Xia, but I think I would've paid attention to that particular detail. So our puppy might have some teeth after all—or at least a nose."

"Perhaps. Unless he just got lucky and stumbled onto the information by accident."

"Maybe he got lucky by getting lucky with a maid."

"Is that your interrogation technique of choice, Your Highness?"

"None of the people I've ever interrogated have been my type, Xia Xia, so no."

"A matter as petty as personal preference should never get in the way of completing a mission."

"Do you know that from experience, Xia Xia?"

"Of course not, Your Highness," she said, batting her eyelashes at him. "As you know, you're my one true love."

"Speaking of which..." Xiao Ce said, trailing off as he shivered suggestively.

"I think it's cool enough for us to traumatize the servants again, Your Highness."

"And then it'll be too cold for our...hot activities—and time to demand a nice, roaring fire."

"And to ask how they let it get so cold in here in the first place."

They grinned at each other; Xiao Ce was struck anew at just how beautiful Xia Xia was.

 _If she ever wanted to become my concubine for real, I would never let a little issue like temperature keep me away from her,_ he thought as they began to make fake kissing noises again. _Out of all of the women I've ever known, she's the only one who…_

Xiao Ce pushed those types of thoughts from his mind as he moaned Xia Xia's name loudly again. He respected her too much to treat her in such a demeaning way, and he knew that she'd never want to settle for living the kind of life that most women in this world would covet.

"You're my one true love, Xia Xia," he said again, scared to realize how close he was to being serious.

* * *

As Xing'er thundered down the road back to Qing Shan Yuan on Cold Fire's back, she briefly contemplated sneaking into her soon-to-be-former home discretely. She discarded this idea, however, deciding to ride boldly up to the front gate as if she were returning from another typical outing that had taken all day.

 _After all, I've done nothing wrong,_ Xing'er thought, lifting her chin defiantly into the night even though there was no one to see her. _I'm not a runaway slave slinking back to her master. I'm not going to give Yuwen Yue the satisfaction of thinking that he's made me ashamed of my actions or afraid of his reactions. I'm going to hold my head high and walk in right through the front gate of my so-called home._

Not that Qing Shan Yuan was going to be Xing'er's home much longer. Yuwen Yue had, after all, more or less told her that he no longer wanted to marry her, so why should she stay? While she had no idea how things had broken down so quickly and completely between them, she was enough of a realist to simply acknowledge that they had done so and to react logically.

 _Logically?_ _p_ art of her mind sneered. _You haven't been acting logically for hours at least, if not days. Did Yuwen Yue overtly say the words, "I no longer want to marry you, Xing'er," or, "I don't love you anymore, Xing'er,"? No? Then how can you throw away your relationship over this whole stupid mess?_

 _Since when does Yuwen Yue have to say something in order to mean something?_ Xing'er fired back as they neared Qing Shan Yuan. _In fact, Yuwen Yue's meanings can often be found in what he doesn't say._

 _So you're admitting that he might yet have important things to say about your relationship. Maybe you should give him a chance to say them instead of running away like you always do._

Xing'er tried to listen to that inner voice, but that old, familiar sensation of the walls closing in on her was pressuring her to run. She'd tried to dismiss those feelings by spending the rest of the day in Chang'an, but she'd eventually found herself on the way to visit her old friend and his adorable guinea pigs.

 _Where you then proceeded to use multiple men's affections for you in order to get back at the man you love,_ the snide voice accused.

 _Shut up,_ Xing'er retorted. _What's done is done. I'm leaving. We're leaving. If Yuwen Yue doesn't love me anymore, then I have no reason to stay here when I could go where I'm needed and wanted._

 _You could go where another man would fawn over you and give you the attention that Yuwen Yue has withheld from you, you mean,_ the voice said.

 _I could go where I could make a difference,_ she fired back. _I could go where I would be treated with respect instead of scorn. I could get away from…_

 _You could outrun your memories of Yuwen Yue instead of facing him, you mean._

 _It's done,_ she repeated. _Zuo Man Tang told me to come back in several days so that he can give me my supplies and set up a meeting with someone from Yanbei. I won't just be running away like a scared iron bell. My sisters and I will be escaping on our own terms with the help of professionals. Yuwen Yue's intense looks and passionate kisses may have put me to sleep for a time, but I've awakened now and am ready to_ _escape from here_ _like I should have months ago._

If a part of the mind could actively roll its eyes, then Xing'er's snide side did just that.

 _I'm in awe of your scintillating logic. You've convinced me that you're not throwing away the best thing that's ever happened to you in a fit of pique in order to pursue a situation that may or may not be better than your current situation. You definitely won't regret this wonderful decision for the rest of your life._

 _No, I won't_ , she maintained stubbornly as she rode up to the gates of Yuwen Yue's home. _When I'm finally free of Yuwen Yue and Wei, then I can truly become the woman I'm meant to be._

Her mind gave her a mental snort as she dismounted Cold Fire and handed him off to a relieved-looking groom. The air of tension around her was palpable; the Yue guards seemed to have suddenly found the starry sky, the road, the tree line, and Cold Fire himself immensely fascinating. A memory of Yuwen Yue examining Zuo Man Tang's cave walls with the same awkward focus flitted into her mind, but she kicked it out again, unwilling to think about those simpler times.

As she strode across the main courtyard, her eyes were irresistibly drawn to their rooms— _Yuwen Yue's rooms_ , she corrected herself—in spite of her best efforts. She paused in the center of the courtyard, part of her mind pushing her to try to do something, anything to fix her relationship with the man she'd loved so dearly only a short time ago.

Her mind nudged her feet forward, but before she could take another step, the lights within extinguished, leaving his rooms in darkness. Yuwen Yue's message was clear—and similar to the same sentiments he'd been expressing for weeks now.

 _I told you he doesn't want me anymore,_ she lectured her inner voice as she walked along the narrower, darker paths that led to her room on the outskirts of Qing Shan Yuan. _If he still loved me, he'd try to fix things with me instead of yelling at me and putting me down. He'd keep his promises to me instead of breaking them. You used his treatment of me to prove to me that he was in love with me; can you do any less now that his actions are so different?_

For once, her mind was silent as she pushed open the door to her room. She'd hoped that her sisters would already be asleep, but the cacophony that greeted her as she stepped inside disabused her of that notion. Releasing a mental sigh, she did her best to answer her sisters' questions as honestly as she could without telling them they were leaving.

 _There will be time enough for that later,_ she thought as her sisters hugged her in commiseration. _I'll let them have their last days here in peace before uprooting them again._

 _And you won't have to deal with them trying to change your mind,_ her brain accused _._

Xing'er's face hardened in determination as her eyes landed on Yan Xun's _bi li_ that had been gathering dust since she'd rested it on her desk months ago. She became conscious of Yuwen Yue's flute tucked away in her robes and fought the sudden desire to take it out and fling it away from her. She already knew that she'd be leaving it behind with almost everything else when she left Qing Shan Yuan in a week.

 _After all, he said that only the woman who would be his wife could play that flute,_ she mused as she got ready for bed. _He practically told me I could never be his wife, so I'll be sure to leave it where he'll be able to find it once I'm gone. Then he can give it to whatever poor fool he manages to convince to marry him._

Despite Xing'er's best efforts, the tears came at the thought of Yuwen Yue marrying another. She blotted her cheeks with the covers as she tried to blot out the images of the man she'd once loved bringing another woman into his life—and into his bed. She imagined this woman shaping shapely lips around the tip of the small flute and playing it with her dainty fingers. Maybe Yuwen Yue would play his flute with her, and then he'd…

Sleep eluded Xing'er until well into the wee hours; she could only hope that Yuwen Yue was suffering just as much as she was. Xing'er knew he was probably sleeping soundly, however, since he clearly no longer cared about her. He would probably continue to avoid her, unknowingly practicing for how his life would be from next week until he decided to marry.

 _In a short week, he'll be rid of me,_ she thought as sleep finally claimed her. _Then we'll both be able to move on with our lives._

* * *

AN: I know many of you don't care for long, drawn-out angst, but not to worry: This whole mess will only last for the next 2 chapters. Next Chapter: The week leading up to XE's departure. Two Chapters: XE leaves; fate intervenes (with a bit of help from an unexpected source); XingYue reunion/make-up scene. Three Chapters: Resolution of the XingYue rift arc; MF/YS's relationship progresses; XingYue gets fussed out by the Grand Concubine. Four Chapters: XC/XC come to QSY; shenanigans ensue.

I can't take credit for "Emperor Eyeliner." Someone on Soompi came up with that, and it seemed too good not to use in this context—especially since fashion-conscious Xiao Ce is doing the naming.

In my writing, I've generally tried to avoid making my characters stupid in order to advance a particular plot. However, sometimes the characters simply demand to be allowed to act stupidly, and this is one such time. While this version of XingYue has grown beyond canon XingYue in many respects, they are still who they are. In times of emotional trouble, YWY retreats behind his arrogant, aloof mask and shuts people out. Xing'er's rash impulsiveness frequently causes personal and national disasters. Neither has any experience with romance, and both are immensely stubborn people. Not to worry, though; this bit of drama will lay the foundation not only for their marriage but for their relationships with...several other people I won't name yet because that would be telling ;).

I've also tried to be fair to both members of our OTP by having both make bad choices and both be understandably upset about various issues. As is so often the case, relationships are complicated, and the concepts of right and wrong can become quite blurry in a hurry. Choose sides if you will, but rest assured that both members of our OTP will suffer for their actions in various ways but will also learn from them and become better people—and a stronger couple.


	12. Chapter 12

"I'm the keenest observer I know, so I definitely would've noticed if anything was missing, A'Song," Yuan Song said, giving Meng Feng his best reproduction of Xiao Ce's confident grin.

Just as he'd imagined, Meng Feng gave him a smile that seemed to light up the entire cave from her perch on the large, flat rock in the middle of their secret place.

 _If Xing'er's smiles are like the sun coming out, then Meng Feng's are like a fine spring sunshine that warms a person continuously,_ he mused as she shook her head at the Crown Prince's antics.

"I tried to get him to admit to noticing that the vase you stole was missing, but he wouldn't do it," Yuan Song said, smirking.

To his surprise, Meng Feng looked down as a sheepish smile shaped her lips.

"What is it, Meng Feng?"

"Well, Your Highness-"

"What did I say to earn that label?"

"Sorry, Yuan Song," she said, her eyes gleaming with good humor. "I was just going to say...well...How might the crown prince say it? 'I'm afraid I may have exaggerated a bit about the vase, A'Song.'"

"What?" he blurted in confusion while laughing at Meng Feng's imitation of his imitation of Xiao Ce.

"I told you that story the first time we met, Yuan Song. Xing'er was still recovering from being poisoned, Young Master Yue was still tired from his ordeal, and Yue Qi and I wanted to give them as much time together as possible."

"So you lied to me?"

"I...embellished that story a bit, yes."

"Did you or did you not steal a priceless vase from the Crown Prince of Liang?"

"That's the part I embellished. I did really still a priceless vase, though. Not from the Crown Prince; just some random nobleman you probably wouldn't know."

"No wonder he thought I was an idiot," Yuan Song said in disgust.

"From what you've told me, he already thought you were an idiot anyway," Meng Feng said.

"Thanks," he said, shaking his head in mock exasperation. "You're so good at making me feel better."

"I figured that pointing out his general disrespect for you would make his specific contempt of that single part of the conversation less painful."

"What would I do without you, Feng Feng?" he asked, giving her his best mimicry of Xiao Ce's foxy look.

She blinked at him in surprise for a few moments before covering her mouth with her hand and shaking with laughter. Xiao Ce's smirk was swiftly replaced with Yuan Song's own boyish grin as he responded to his...to his...close friend's enjoyment of his joke. Not wanting to examine that thought further, he decided to resume his impersonation of the crown prince.

"You don't mind if I call you Feng Feng, do you? Or maybe I should call you Meng Meng? A'Feng? A'Meng? Meng'er? Feng'er? I just can't decide. Maybe I should ask my beloved Xia Xia. But, no! My beloved Xia Xia's looks are without peer and, though your beauty is acceptable for the savage environs of Wei, it cannot compare with that of my one true love."

"I think you should just call me Meng Feng, Your Highness," she said seriously but with glinting eyes. "After all, were you to give me a nickname, would your beloved Xia Xia not get the wrong idea about our relationship—or your opinion of my beauty?"

Yuan Song's opinions about Meng Feng's beauty and their relationship crystallized in his mind with sudden, stark clarity as Xiao Ce faded once again from his face. The air grew heavy between them as Meng Feng sensed the shift and realized the reason for his silence. He knew that at least some of his thoughts were likely showing in his eyes, so he said the first thing that came to mind in order to defuse the situation.

"So you really never stole anything from Xiao Ce? How did you know to describe him so well? You even knew about his love of beauty products."

Meng Feng continued to gaze at him seriously, a slight pucker appearing on her forehead as she frowned.

"While I've never met the man, I knew him by reputation from my time in the Afterlife Camp. He's supposedly a playboy, but his father is known as a shrewd, cunning man who...availed himself of our services multiple times."

"So..."

"So why would a man like Liang's current emperor name a vain, pompous idiot like Xiao Ce Crown Prince?"

"Meng Feng, do you really think…?"

"What did I tell you about lying, Yuan Song?"

"You told me that, instead of trying to conceal the truth from others, I needed to try to present the truth I wanted people to believe."

"Exactly."

"So do you think that Xiao Ce is pulling some sort of elaborate con? If he is pretending to be an idiot, he's exceptionally good at it."

Meng Feng frowned again.

"I don't know, Yuan Song. I can't say without observing him myself—and his abilities might be beyond my own."

"I would trust your skills over his any day, Feng Feng."

"Thank you, A'Song," she said, making her own foxy expression that stirred him in spite of its silly nature.

Yuan Song was quiet for a few moments; Meng Feng seemed content to allow him to have some time to think about her words.

"So what should I do?" he finally asked.

"Watch," she replied. "Listen. Observe. See if you can find any weakness in his game—if it is a game. This can be excellent training for you. If Xiao Ce is a master deceiver, you can learn much from him."

"And if he's just a moron?"

"Then you will have gotten more practice at the art of observing morons in a palatial setting, which will certainly come in handy no matter where your life takes you."

Yuan Song burst out laughing at the accuracy of Meng Feng's witticism.

"He'll probably want to come here, you know," he said after his laughter had wound down.

"Of course he will," Meng Feng agreed. "This is the headquarters of the Eyes of God, and Young Master Yue is a wealthy, influential man."

"And he'll probably get an earful about Xing'er, too," Yuan Song said with a wry smile.

"Not to mention the connection between Liang and the Third Branch. How did he handle that particular revelation, by the way? That must've been awkward."

"Not at all, Meng Meng," he said, striking a sassy pose. "After all, that's ancient news having to do with old people I never associate with because they're so unfashionable. Oh, no, A'Feng; I never trouble my pretty little head about such unpleasantries. I'm sure my esteemed father was caught completely unawares as well; he would never be a party to such a dishonorable thing, after all, Feng Feng. Now where's that wine you promised me, A'Meng? I know it's not going to be as good as Liang's wine, but I'm sure it will be sufficient to slake my thirst after such a tiring conversation."

She finally laughed, and Yuan Song marveled at the beauty of the sound. Meng Feng was a fairly reserved person, so making her laugh was an accomplishment that brought him much satisfaction.

"Now I'm definitely suspicious," she said, grinning at him. "Not even you would be that oblivious."

"Thanks, Meng Feng," he said, mock-scowling at her. "Your faith in my observational capabilities is heart-warming."

"Xiao Ce might be the keenest observer around, but I think that you'll be able to watch him with your inferior Wei vision."

"Well, I'm glad he's watching the Weis now," he said with a smirk. "Let Wei Shu You deal with that idiot for a change. Actually, now that I think about it, Wei Shu You is probably spending time with Zhao Xi Feng and leaving Wei Shu Ye in charge of babysitting the crown prince. Lucky him."

They lapsed into a companionable silence that Meng Feng eventually broke with an uncharacteristic shyness. She slowly stood up from the stone, gesturing for him to sit instead. He did so with confusion, having no idea what she was up to now.

"All of these impersonations remind me of something that I did for Xing'er a week or so ago. She said something about how Yuwen Yue would be able to turn this everyday task we were doing into an aphorism, so I said, "Sometimes the cleaning room of life gives a person only dirty supplies, but the good spy knows how to adapt and overcome."

Yuan Song gaped at her before clapping enthusiastically as he laughed at her impression of Yuwen Yue.

"Good! Very good," he chortled. "You got the eyes just right—and that flat tone, and condescending posture...Very good, Meng Feng."

He noticed an odd reticence in Meng Feng's bearing and asked the question that came to mind.

"When would you have had a need to say something like that, Meng Feng? All of Qing Shan Yuan's cleaning supplies are immaculate—unless there's another supply room no one told me about."

Meng Feng's uneasiness grew even more pronounced, and he realized that he'd had to work harder than usual to get her to smile. She hadn't cracked her first grin until well into his Xiao Xe impersonations, and her laugh…

 _Not that she's always the most expressive person, but I'd like to think I've improved my ability to make her laugh over the past several weeks._

"We were...cleaning."

"Yes, I gathered that, Meng Feng."

She shot him an irritated glance that took him aback.

"If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to. I was just curious."

Meng Feng sighed, her good mood obviously evaporated.

"Xing'er and I were cleaning...at Hei Shan Yuan."

"Where? I can tell from the name that it's...Oh."

"I noticed that Xing'er had been sneaking out while Young Master Yue was away, so I followed her out of curiosity. I discovered that she'd been going out to the abandoned courtyard in which Young Master Yue had been born. I helped her to..."

"To what?"

"We were cleaning up Young Master Yue's old room."

Yuan Song felt his eyes widen as he tried to imagine such a place.

"I'm assuming that the room wasn't exactly in great shape when you found it."

"Well, Xing'er had already cleaned some of it up, so I never saw it at its worst. By time Yuwen _Da Ren_ saw it-"

"What?! How did you meet Yuwen _Da Ren_?"

"Well, I was visiting his courtyard, after all."

"Very funny, Meng Feng. I haven't seen him since I was a boy. He spends almost all of his time wherever the next battle is; he hardly ever comes home. I don't even know his full name since he always goes by 'Yuwen Da Ren' even when he's not at the front. What was he like? What is Hei Shan Yuan like? What happened when he and Xing'er met for the first time?"

Meng Feng smiled at him for the first time since she'd started talking about the current situation.

"She walked out of Young Master Yue's room like she owned it, clasped Can Hong Jian very visibly in front of her so he could get a good look at it, bowed, and called him 'Yuwen _Da Ren_ ' as if she were greeting a familiar acquaintance."

Yuan Song snickered at the image before reality came crashing in.

"When Yuwen Yue finds out...he already found out, didn't he? That's why you've been quieter than usual."

"I didn't think you'd noticed."

"I didn't at first, but once I realized how hard I had to work to make you laugh-"

"-your professional integrity was insulted. I understand."

"You're changing the subject. Yuwen Yue already found out, didn't he?"

Meng Feng sighed.

"How much do you know about what really happened to Young Master Yue's mother?"

Yuan Song gaped at her in surprise at the seemingly random question.

"I know the basic story about her having an affair with Yuwen Xi that circulated around the nobility when I was a boy," he said carefully. "The topic still comes up from time to time—and, of course, was popular again given Yuwen Xi's death."

He paused, but Meng Feng wasn't forthcoming.

"I know Yuwen Xi's character and Yuwen Yue's character," he continued. "I've seen how...attentive Yuwen Yue is to Xing'er, how hard he trains her...I know what Yuwen Xi used to do to those poor maids...Xing'er's sister..."

"See, Yuan Song?" she said with a brittle smile. "You already know the truth. You're a good investigator when you can draw all of your information together and form the right conclusion."

"So Yuwen Yue's father stays at the front. He rarely comes home. So he and Yuwen Yue's relationship...And Xing'er knows this. Surely she knows. And she..."

Meng Feng sat silently, her large eyes luminous even in the dim lighting of their cave.

"And he found out...how? Knowing them, probably in some particularly terrible way."

She shook her head at him, but she still smiled at him wryly anyway. As she told Yuan Song about the picnic, the general, and the laughter, he felt a distinct sense of envy rise up in him. How he wished he could've seen Meng Feng that uninhibited. How he wished he could've also spent time with his friends in such a way. His jealousy melted away as she told him of Yuwen Yue's confrontation with Xing'er, however, and how cold their relationship had turned as a result.

"So he blames her for spending time with his father behind his back and she...something tells me she didn't react particularly well to being told what to do in Yuwen Yue's typical tone."

"That's...part of it."

"There's more?"

Meng Feng sighed again.

"Listen, Yuan Song. The only reason I'm telling you these things is because I trust you."

"And because you have no one else to talk to about it."

"I'm an Afterlife Camp assassin, Yuan Song. I'm used to keeping my feelings concealed."

"You _were_ an Afterlife Camp assassin. You're not that person anymore. You're not alone anymore."

Meng Feng's eyes grew unguarded, and Yuan Song was able to see the emotions roiling within them. Part of him wanted to take her in his arms and hold her close, but the rational part of him knew that neither of them was ready for that sort of relationship yet. He settled for standing up from the large rock and gazing at her.

She walked towards him, making his breath shorten as he thought for a brief, wild moment that she was going to put her arms around him. Instead, she stopped in front of him, both of them silhouetted in the mouth of their cave. Her eyes were still full of emotion, and he could see that he'd touched her with his words.

"I'm still that assassin; I've just buried that part of me in a shallow grave. She'll still be there if—when-I'll need her again. As I'm sure you remember, she got to help Young Master Yue free himself and Xing'er from the Third Branch."

"So what else is wrong, Meng Feng?" he asked, aware that he was likely not going to get her to open up any more about herself.

"What?"

"You said that there was more."

"Oh. Right."

"You were hoping I'd forget to ask, weren't you?"

"Honestly, yes, but you should probably know the truth anyway—or, at least, enough of the truth to understand why Yuwen Yue and Xing'er are no longer talking to each other."

"What?!"

As Meng Feng explained about the troubles of the past several weeks, Yuan Song felt his eyes growing wider and wider. He also felt multiple conflicting emotions, hardly knowing what to make of them all. While part of him was almost happy at the development since it might mean that his dreams of Xing'er loving him were not dead after all, the rest of his mind drowned out that voice with other, more reasonable emotions.

 _Xing'er must be so unhappy,_ he thought as he paced around the small confines of the cave. _Even if she were to leave Yuwen Yue, why would she come to me? She doesn't love me. And I…_

Yuan Song did his best to lock those feelings away for the moment, not wanting to examine them while Meng Feng was talking to him. He'd felt his feelings for her deepening over the past several weeks, but his mind had been unable to refrain from reverting to the familiar habit of thinking about Xing'er romantically. While he'd wanted to believe that he'd let Xing'er go, he hadn't been able to prevent himself from feeling a few pangs of hope pulse through himself as Meng Feng detailed how rocky Xinger's relationship had become with her former master.

 _Could she come to love me in time?_ he mused, unable to control his wayward thoughts. _If she wanted to leave Yuwen Yue, I'm sure I could keep her somewhere safe. Who knows what could happen in the future? Man proposes; God disposes..._

"I need to get back to work," Meng Feng said curtly, turning her back on him and stalking the few steps to the cave's entrance. "We should go."

"What? Why? Meng Feng, wait!"

At first, Yuan Song was confused at Meng Feng's blunt demeanor, but the glimpse of hurt that he saw in her gaze revealed that she'd probably seen some of his thoughts in his eyes. The fear that shot through him helped to put his feelings for both women in sharp contrast, but he could tell from the set of Meng Feng's shoulders that the damage had already been done—and might be irreparable.

"I'm supposed to be mucking stalls with Yue Qi, Your Highness," she said as she grasped a vine in a hand. "The only reason I got to come out here in the first place was because no one dared to say no to you. I really need to get back to work now so that I don't get in even more trouble with the master."

"Trouble? Why are you in trouble? How dare Yuwen Yue punish you for ending up in the middle of his family squabble?"

"Don't worry, Your Highness. Considering that my former master used to punish me by denying me my antidote pill until the last possible moment and laughing at me as I writhed on the floor in agony, I think I'll be able to survive a bit of manual labor."

Yuan Song gaped at her, desperately wanting to redo these past few moments and to go back to the way their relationship had been developing before he'd lost control of his thoughts.

"I know you're strong enough to do anything, Meng Feng. That's not the point. You shouldn't have to suffer for other people's mistakes."

"That's been the story of my life, Your Highness."

"Why are you back to calling me-"

"I really need to go now. I shall leave first—unless you don't think you can make the climb on your own."

"Of course I can climb up on my own. I don't need your help anymore."

"So I've gathered."

"No! Wait! That's not what I meant, Meng Feng."

"I'll still give you lying lessons if you want; after all, we still need to protect ourselves."

"No! I mean, yes, of course, but-"

"Good. I'm glad that's settled. I'm glad that you have so much leisure time, but I don't have that luxury. Have a good afternoon, Your Highness; your servant, Meng Feng, will leave first."

Before he could say anything more, she turned her back on him, grasped another vine with her free hand, and started scrambling up the wall. Part of him was tempted to pursue her, but he found himself flopping back down onto the center stone instead.

 _How could I have been so stupid?_ _h_ e thought as he rested his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands. _Is idiocy contagious? Have I caught whatever's making Yuwen Yue and Xing'er turn their backs on each other—and their love?_

 _Don't blame Yue'er and Xing Xing, A'Song,_ his snide side—which sounded distressingly like Xiao Ce—said. _You_ _demonstrated_ _more than enough idiocy without them—a most impressive display,_ _I must admit_ _. Perhaps Wei is better at something than Liang after all._ _I would never make such a mistake with my Xia Xia._

 _There's nothing for me here now,_ he thought as he slowly stood up from his rocky seat and trudged to the cave's entrance and grasped a vine. _I may as well go home. Maybe I'll get lucky and Xiao Ce will get so lonely for me that he'll return to the palace. I've missed hearing him extolling the virtues of his precious Xia Xia_ _and the superiority of his homeland_ _._

* * *

"And here are the travel cloaks I promised you, Xing'er," Zuo Man Tang said, handing over the garments. "As you can see, yours has many pockets and straps for your weapons. I know you, Xing'er; you won't leave any of them behind."

"Of course I won't," the young woman said with her customary scowl. "I'm going to fight, so I'll need all of my weapons."

"You don't have to leave, Xing'er," he said, giving her one of his leers. "The two of us could stay here and play house. We could work on regaining your old memories and making fresh ones in new and exciting ways."

Xing'er had gotten used to his flirtatious behavior and merely deepened her frown. She did him no bodily harm, though, so he knew that she wasn't too angry with him.

"I can't stay here," she said, her eyes filling with pain. "I need to get as far away from here as possible while still going where I'm needed. You've already arranged things like you agreed to, right?"

"Of course," the shopkeeper said. "As I told you, they'll be here to escort you in 3 days. You're to meet them in that clearing we discussed and bring 'the musical item our mutual friend told me that you would have,' as my contact said. I take it you know what that means."

"Mm."

"You'll be escorted all the way there, and you won't have to worry about food or lodgings."

"Mm."

"I have, of course, given you a week's worth of travel rations for 3 since traveling—especially with you involved—can be unpredictable.

Xing'er gave him a wan smile of agreement, surprisingly not defending herself from his accusation.

"The first real memory I have involves being hunted by some of Wei's most esteemed nobles and royals. Most of my other memories involve fighting and killing. I think I was simply born for trouble."

"Truer words were never spoken," the shopkeeper said with a laugh.

Xing'er lapsed into silence, staring off into nothingness. Zuo Man Tang could see the sadness in her eyes once again, and he couldn't shake the feeling that she was making a terrible mistake. He, of course, had his own agenda. Xing'er was never going to recover her memories here, but there were people in Yanbei who might be able to help her to do so. While the lure of understanding and even possessing the Wind and Cloud Decree was strong, he knew first-hand how volatile and unpredictable an emotionally-distraught Xing'er could be.

"Do you need anything else from me, Xing'er?" he asked, raising his eyebrows and smirking salaciously. "You can have way more than I've given you, you know; all you have to do is ask."

The words seemed to mean something to her beyond his innuendo, and her eyes clouded with pain again. She shook her head at him in exasperation.

"This is more than enough," she said. "I'll keep my word to you; if I ever regain my memories-"

"You'll come back here, tell me all, fall into my arms, and we'll live happily ever after with my guinea hens. I know."

"Something like that."

The heartbreak in her eyes was palpable, and Zuo Man Tang felt compelled to try to gently nudge her in the direction that would be best for her.

"Are you sure I can't interest you in a new sword, Xing'er? After all, the one you have now will draw attention to you—perhaps from unwanted quarters. I have an excellent blade with an impressive history that would suit you-"

"No," Xing'er blurted. "No. Can Hong Jian is mine and I'm never giving it up. I can't...No. I don't need another sword."

"If you were to stay at Qing Shan Yuan longer, you would become even more proficient with Can Hong Jian, you know. Yuwen Yue is-"

"No. It's done. I'm leaving. We're leaving. He doesn't want...I'm not his slave anymore, and I'm ready to take back my life my way. Thank you for helping me; I'll come and visit you once I've regained my memories. Xing'er will leave first."

She whirled away from him and prepared to stalk out the door, but the shopkeeper called her back once more.

"Do you still at least have that wooden bead, Xing'er?" he asked. She stared at him in surprise. "Given the sword you'll be carrying, that might help to establish your identity."

"I always knew that you knew more about that bead than you led me to believe," she muttered.

"That bead is so pretty; losing it would be a real shame for multiple people."

"I'll remember to take it with me. Thanks for your help."

With that, Xing'er was gone, leaving the shopkeeper to sigh as her slim figure retreated through the secret door and back out into the main part of his store. He knew her choices were going to make her immensely unhappy, and he knew from his memories of that dour Yuwen heir's heated glances at Xing'er that the spymaster was in love with her.

 _I know weapons and I know women,_ he thought as he fed his little friends. _She can't let go of Can Hong Jian because it matches Po Yue Jian as well as she herself matches her former master. She's going to run. She's going to hurt herself and others. She's going to bitterly regret this. But if I don't help her, she's going to go off on her own anyway and cause untold amounts of chaos. At least this way, she'll be safe—and others will be safe from her._

* * *

A mournful tune wafted over Qing Shan Yuan, bathing the entire moonlit courtyard with its melancholy strains. Xing'er was playing with particular emotion tonight; Yuwen Yue felt that he'd never heard her perform with such passion. The look on her face supported that idea, lending credence to the idea that she was calling rather than taunting him.

He had, at first, wondered if she were mocking him with her playing, reminding him of better days. Part of him had wanted to believe that she was calling him as he'd done to her in the past, however, so he'd stealthily approached their pavilion and watched her play from the shadows. Despite the negative nature of their interactions over the past week, he sensed that Xing'er wanted him to come to her.

Yuwen Yue desperately desired to leave his hiding place, stride confidently up to Xing'er, and take her in his arms, but doing so seemed more difficult than taking down the Liang spies. After the things they'd said and done to one another, how could he just walk up to her like nothing had happened and...what? Hold her? Hug her? Kiss her? Stare at her awkwardly until she said something?

 _Or until she insults me,_ he thought darkly, his mind taking him back to some of their interactions since the fight.

One incident in particular stood out from the other more minor glares, cold shoulders, and one-liners. They had avoided each other for a couple of days after the fight, but on the third day after it, Xing'er had brought him tea late at night as had been their custom for months. He'd noticed that her hands had been shaking while she'd done her best to hand him the coaster without spilling the contents of the cup.

Yuwen Yue had taken the tea and sipped it with a neutral expression on his face, doing his best to honor what had seemed to be good intentions on Xing'er's part. She stood there silently, suddenly seeming to find his room as fascinating as he'd once found an old shopkeeper's cave walls what felt like a lifetime ago. Thinking about how far he and Xing'er had come only to reach the point of her walking on eggshells around him as he drank tea with a blank face caused him to scowl in frustration.

Naturally, Xing'er had misinterpreted the cause behind his frown and had assumed that she'd caused it somehow. In typical Xing'er fashion, she'd asked him what about the tea—or the company—wasn't good enough for the great and mighty Young Master Yue, and what had been a civil meeting between the two of them went downhill from there.

More regrettable conversation had ensued—did he ever engage in any other kind with Xing'er these days?-before Xing'er had told him that he could go back to having the servants make his tea from now on and that she regretted thinking that she might gain something from being nice to him. He'd muttered something about needing a drink, and that's when Xing'er had wounded him deeply once again.

 _Ah, so Young Master Yue has started drinking again? Xing'er would be glad to bring Young Master Yue a pot of wine. Tell me, Master: Should Xing'er bring you one pot or two?_

The comparison to Yuwen Huai had been clear in wording, tone, and expression, and his own bearing had conveyed enough pain and rage to make Xing'er's eyes widen. She'd beaten an uncharacteristically hasty and quiet retreat and had worked hard to avoid him ever since.

 _So why is she calling me now?_ The spymaster asked himself as Xing'er neared what he knew to be the end of the song. _She doesn't look like she wants to fight with me; if anything, she looks...sad. Maybe she wants to apologize. Or maybe she expects me to apologize without her having to admit to any wrong-doing herself. How can I know?_

Not for the first time, Yuwen Yue thought that he'd rather be fighting with the Liang spies or practicing his swordsmanship or reading an Eyes of God report or doing anything else than what he was doing right now. That thought led to another wash of pain and grief, and he contemplated the wrongness of being unable to take pleasure in the presence of the woman he'd once thought of as his beloved.

 _I still do think of her as my beloved,_ he admitted to himself as one of his feet seemed to move by itself towards the edge of the shadows. _I'll always love her. Maybe I can go to her and fix our relationship somehow. Of course I can. I'm Yuwen Yue, the leader of the Eyes of God, the inheritor of the Yuwen family holdings, the wielder of Po Yue Jian, and the holder of Xing'er's heart. All I have to do is to walk out there and-_

As his other foot moved to take that first step out of the darkness, Xing'er's playing stopped, freezing Yuwen Yue in his tracks. The last note echoed slightly in the late-night air, hanging over the courtyard for a few moments before dissipating into the ether. Yuwen Yue knew that he had to make his move now or he'd miss his chance, but he felt petrified, unable to take those first few steps towards the woman he'd loved for so long.

 _What can I say? What can I do to repair what we've broken? Would she even receive me? Has she even been calling me? What should I do?_

These agonizing questions raced through Yuwen Yue's mind as Xing'er slowly lowered her small flute and scanned the courtyard with her eyes, her face hopeful and beautiful and luminous in the moonlight. Frozen in uncharacteristic indecision, Yuwen Yue couldn't bring himself to trust Xing'er with his heart and his emotions regardless of his desires.

Her bright eyes faced his hiding place for a moment before moving on to another area of the pavilion. Xing'er's shoulders drooped, and her head followed suit. She was still partially facing him, so he was able to see the hope completely leave one eye as she realized that he wasn't coming to her.

 _For that is what she wanted,_ he realized with complete certainty. _She was calling to me, but even now, it's too late. She's already given up on me._

 _You just keep telling yourself that, oh, spymaster,_ his snide side said, making an unwelcome appearance. _You just keep trying to convince yourself that she wouldn't forgive your hesitation if you went to her right this moment and apologized._

 _Why should I apologize? h_ e asked himself for what felt like the thousandth time.

His snide voice mentally sighed, and he realized that he was so tired of having this internal debate with himself that even the most disagreeable part of his mind didn't feel like going over it all again.

Motion from Xing'er's direction pulled his attention back to her as she squared her shoulders and walked towards the staircase that would take her back down to the courtyard. She paused at the table for a moment, looking down at the flute in her hand before slapping it savagely down onto the wooden surface and walking away with a face as hard as ice.

Xing'er reached the top of the staircase, even going so far as to extend a foot over the first step. Yuwen Yue held his breath as she stood there in indecision, only remembering to breathe again after she'd retracted her foot, retraced her steps, and retrieved the flute he'd given her. Her expression had been indecipherable and unsettling as she'd turned around and left without a backward glance, but he felt reassured by her reclaiming of the flute all the same.

 _See? I told you she couldn't leave me,_ he smugly told himself once again. _Even when she tries to let part of me go, her heart always pulls her back to reclaim it—to reclaim me. Surely all we need is time to right things between us. I'll give her another week or two to cool down, and then I'll-_

* * *

"How long, Yue'er?" Yuwen _Da Ren_ asked softly as he stepped from another pocket of shadows. "How long are you going to punish her for loving you? How long are you going to keep pushing her away? How long do you think she'll stay here if she thinks you don't love her anymore?"

"What are you doing here, Father?" Yue'er asked with a scowl.

"Following a soldier's instincts," he replied.

"Do you foresee a war breaking out at Qing Shan Yuan?"

"Several wars, in fact—including one that is already raging that you will lose if you don't do something soon to end it."

"How did you sneak past my guards, Father?" he asked. "I'd like to know so that I can tighten my security at those points."

"I've been sneaking into Qing Shan Yuan since well before you were born, Yue'er," he said with a soft laugh. "Even if I were to tell you how I did so this time, I'd still find another way in. I know this place too well..."

"And now you've used that knowledge to sneak in and cause even more trouble."

"Ah, I see you're continuing the proud Yuwen family tradition of blaming others for your own problems."

"I learned from the best, Father."

"I can tell. Your commitment to following in my footsteps by alienating the woman you love is...well...it's something. I'm not sure what it is, but it's definitely something."

"You're not going to succeed in your quest to anger me, Father. Not tonight."

"Of course not. That would require for you to be capable of feeling, but right now, I think you're numb inside."

"Do you know that from experience, Father?" his son asked with another sneer.

"Yes," he affirmed, surprising his son with his ready admission. "Yes, I do know that from experience. When I had to...after everything happened with...I eventually reached the point where I felt nothing—or, at least, that's what I told myself. Only by _feeling_ nothing could I force myself to _do_ nothing. I was so afraid of what I would lose if I did something, but by doing nothing, I still lost almost everything anyway. Don't make that same mistake, Yue'er. Please."

"I feel plenty, Father," Yuwen Yue said coldly. "So does Xing'er. That's part of the problem: We both feel too much, and neither of us..."

"Neither of you is good at expressing your feelings."

"Except the bad ones."

"Another family trait. Xing'er will fit right in here."

Yue'er quirked his lips silently in acknowledgment, and Yuwen _Da Ren_ counted the gesture as a small victory. His son strolled over to the railing where Xing'er had played her flute and stared out over the main courtyard. While he looked every inch the proud, strong master of Qing Shan Yuan, the general could see the vulnerability in his son's eyes as he stood across from him in the moonlight.

"The choices I made...after...I did the best I could for my family, Yue'er. Our society is cruel, and judgment is swift upon those who don't conform. I knew that Yuwen Xi's story was a lie from the beginning, but I also knew that nobody in society would care."

"Why would they believe a woman over a powerful courtier?"

"Oh, they would've believed her," Yuwen _Da Ren_ said matter-of-factly. "They simply wouldn't have cared about the truth. Yuwen Xi was a powerful man. Your mother was a woman who had slept with another man regardless of the circumstances. Your uncle's perversions were an open secret amongst the other nobles of Wei, but nobody was willing to go up against his influence—especially not over a woman."

"Nobody-including you, Father."

"You can stand here now and easily condemn me, Yue'er. You lose nothing by doing so. I, on the other hand...I would've lost everything had I stood against Yuwen Xi."

"Instead you only lost almost everything. Your wife...Your home...Your son..."

"Were you in my place, would you have done any differently knowing what was at stake?"

"I never would've turned my back on my mother."

"I'm not talking about your mother, Yue'er. I'm talking about Xing'er."

"Xing'er has nothing to do with Mother, Father."

"Of course she does. You claim to love her, do you not? Yes, she's hurt you—just as you've hurt her—but I saw the way you looked at her when she was playing your mother's flute. Yes, you still love Xing'er—but would you give up everything for her? Would you stand by her if she betrayed you?"

"Yes!" Yue'er said in an uncharacteristic outburst, shocking even himself.

Yuwen _Da Ren_ kept his smug victory smile hidden from his son as he finished springing his verbal trap.

"Are you seriously saying that you would risk all that you have for Xing'er? If she betrayed you—or if she ended up in a position where powerful men could frame her actions in such terms—would you really be willing to sacrifice Qing Shan Yuan, its servants, the Eyes of God, and the family honor?"

Yue'er merely glowered at him, his arrogant, aloof mask fully restored. This did not bother the general, however, as he felt that his words had reached his son regardless of the man's taciturn expression.

"Your silence is answer enough, Yue'er. You love that woman so much that you would give up everything you have to keep her safe. If that's so, then you need to answer my initial questions: How long are you going to punish her for doing her best to love you? How long are you going to push her away? How long do you think she'll stay here if she feels that there's no reason for her to stay?"

"That's not the third question you asked me at the beginning, Father."

"No, but it should've been," the general mused. "If Xing'er believes that you no longer love her, than she'll likely feel that there's no reason for her to stay here. In fact, judging from the look on her face as she left, she's already reached that conclusion."

"But she took the flute," Yue'er asked in oblivious confusion.

"That she did," the general admitted. "However, the look on her face as she did so told me that she wasn't retrieving the flute for sentimental reasons."

"Since you've become an expert on Xing'er's expressions after a mere few outings, please enlighten me on what that last face meant."

"I've seen that look on the faces of many men—and one woman—over the course of my life. That's the look of a person who has decided that his—or her—current situation is untenable and that continuing to live the same way is pointless. Some men have reacted by killing enemies on the battlefield, while others...others have made a more...permanent escape from their circumstances."

"Xing'er would never take her own life, Father."

"Of course she wouldn't," Yuwen _Da Ren_ said, quirking his lips. "She's much too stubborn for that. But she would leave you and go where she feels she's needed—where she feels that she can fight for something—or someone—worthwhile."

"I've seen Xing'er's running face, Father," Yuwen Yue muttered. "I haven't seen that expression on her in months—and certainly not tonight."

"People can run for all sorts of reasons, Yue'er. Some run out of fear. Some run out of pain. Some run out of anger. Some run out of boredom. Some run out of hopelessness. All run out of a belief that life cannot continue in the same way and that running is the only viable option. If Xing'er's face looks different this time, maybe she's simply planning on running for a different reason than before."

The general watched several emotions play across his son's face.

"Your mother wore an expression similar to that last look on Xing'er's face before she...I didn't understand it at the time, but I realized later that that had been the look of a woman who'd realized she had no reason to stay here and no reason to live at all. Xing'er still has reasons to live, but without your love, why should she stay here?"

"She has other friends here," Yue'er argued.

"From what I've heard, she has...friends in Yanbei as well."

Yue'er's lips thinned, confirming at least some of the rumors the general had heard.

"She could've joined him...them before, but she chose not to. She stayed with me."

"Why did she stay with you, Yue'er?"

"I don't know."

"Of course you do. She stayed because she loved you and because she believed that you loved her—even if neither of you had said anything to the other."

"So why would she leave now if she didn't leave then?"

"Why do you think, Yue'er? I wasn't privy to your argument with Xing'er-"

"Arguments."

"Okay, arguments; that helps make my point. At any point this past week, have you given her the impression that you no longer love or want to marry her?"

Yue'er's silence once again confirmed his guess.

"On the other hand, have you given her the impression—any impression—that you want to reconcile with her, much less spend the rest of your life with her?"

Yue'er's glower intensified.

"I thought not. So why would she believe she has any purpose here? Would you really expect her to want to stay here as you continue to drift further apart until you inevitably take another woman as your wife and have children with her?"

"I will never marry another but Xing'er, Father—no matter what anyone says."

"If you don't fix things with Xing'er as soon as possible, you're never going to marry her."

"What we need is time, Father. That's all we've ever needed."

"Yue'er, how much do you know about Xing'er's whereabouts this past week? Not much, I see. Tell me: How much do you know about a charming old scoundrel who keeps guinea pigs and sells whatever a person needs the most at any given time?"

"We both know him fairly well—better than I'd like, honestly."

"Ah, yes. I can imagine how you reacted to his way with women—and his impudence, for that matter. Do you know that Xing'er has been to see him twice this week?"

"Probably to complain about me."

"Probably—and to buy a batch of merchandise."

"What?"

"I don't know what she bought, but her saddlebags were bulging."

"How nice of you to watch Qing Shan Yuan, Father."

"I, of course, have been busy updating His Majesty and the court about the front; my men, however..."

"Your concern is duly noted. I'll try to talk to her tomorrow, but I can't promise she'll be willing to listen to anything I have to say."

"Talk to her tonight, Yue'er."

"After not talking to her when she called me? She wouldn't receive me anyway. Besides, she's probably sleeping."

"She's not sleeping, Yue'er. I don't think she plans to sleep tonight—she or her sisters."

"You're overreacting, Father. As enjoyable as this conversation has been, I'm ready for bed, I think. I trust you can see yourself out."

"Don't let her slip through your fingers, Yue'er," the general begged. "Don't make the same mistakes-"

"Believe me, Father: I won't."

With that, Yue'er spun around and stalked to the staircase, descending it without slowing and cutting across the courtyard in the moonlight. Yuwen _Da Ren_ watched him go with foreboding, his soldier's instincts telling him that the woman his son loved was planning to do something rash.

 _Do I have a right to interfere?_ he asked himself as he slipped through the shadows of Qing Shan Yuan. _Is this really my business? Xing'er's no longer a slave here; if she wants to leave, how can I stop her? But how could I not stop her? Her leaving would ruin both of their lives. I may have turned my back on my son, but I still love him and want him to be happy._

The general approached the wall, sneaking near what he knew to be the room that Xing'er shared with her sisters. He heard a rustle from a bush and looked at it, barely able to discern a familiar figure in the darkness. It nodded at him, and he sighed with relief as he realized another shared his concerns about Xing'er's plans. Scrambling over the wall with ease, he left Qing Shan Yuan behind without a backward glance.

* * *

Yuwen Yue stared down at his comatose grandfather, his mind whirling with myriad thoughts and emotions. His father's words had disturbed him, and he thought the older man had noticed regardless of Yuwen Yue's efforts to hide his feelings. The thought of Xing'er leaving him made him sick, but the thought of barging into Xing'er's room, waking her up, and dealing with her sisters…

"She would be so angry at me, Grandfather," he murmured. "She would be upset at being awoken in such a manner—especially by me. Xing'er would probably think that I'd waited until she'd fallen asleep on purpose just so I'd be able to wake her up suddenly."

His grandfather, of course, gave no indication that he'd heard Yuwen Yue. He continued to breathe evenly if shallowly, giving the impression of merely being deeply asleep rather than unresponsive.

"No, I'll wait until tomorrow to try to talk to Xing'er," he said to the still form in the bed before him. "Or maybe I'll wait until next week. Perhaps Xing'er will even come to me and apologize."

Although his grandfather's face didn't change at all, Yuwen Yue could still imagine the dark scowl that would take it over were he awake right now. He understood that his grandfather would not approve of Xing'er—especially if he knew her true identity.

"Yes, Grandfather," Yuwen Yue murmured at the man, "I know exactly what you would say. You would probably start off with some kind of 'I told you so.' You would remind me of your own betrayal at the hands of a maid and would predict that Xing'er will betray me someday, too. You'd remind me of family duty, honor, and obligation. Then you would launch into an argument about why Xing'er...I can see our talk unfolding in my mind so clearly, Grandfather. You'd be sitting in your chair, a blanket on your lap and a pinched look on your face. You would tell me that-"

* * *

"Xing'er would make a terrible wife for me. She's unruly, undisciplined, self-righteous, and impetuous. She's immature, argumentative, and unbending. She lacks the necessary skills to be my _da fu ren_ even with my training, and she's never going to be a proper lady. She brings me nothing in terms of prestige, power, or fortune. In fact, she's the daughter of a hated enemy. I should end our engagement and send her away on a long-term—or permanent—mission because our marriage would never work."

Xing'er slid down the roughly-hewn rock wall of the secret tunnel, feeling as if a spray of Meng Feng's darts had pierced her entire body. Pain radiated through herself as if those figurative darts had been poisoned with the disdain and coldness of Yuwen Yue's words. Tears dropped from her eyes directly to the ground at her feet as she wept for the loss of her former fiance's love for her.

 _At least now I know for sure,_ she thought grimly as she wrapped her arms around herself in agony. _I know he hates me now, so I don't have to wonder anymore. I tried to give him one last chance to change my mind about leaving, but he didn't come when I called him. And then he…_

She stood shakily to her feet, bracing a hand against the rocky wall for a few moments as the pain threatened to double her over again. Her mind was dimly aware that Yuwen Yue was still pouring his heart out to his unconscious grandfather, but she couldn't hear what he was saying.

 _I don't want to hear what he's saying,_ she thought as she wiped her eyes with the back of an arm. _All I wanted to do was to retrieve the wooden bead I lost in that room ages ago, and I ended up hearing his true feelings for me instead. At least I didn't have to listen to the beginning of his speech; I can only imagine what he'd already told his grandfather about me. Clearly the Heavens are on my side and want me to leave this place—and this man—behind._

That thought brought on a fresh bout of tears, which she wiped away with the hand that wasn't holding her small lamp as she started to retrace her steps back down the narrow corridor. Yuwen Yue had shown her this place shortly after he'd revealed the secret room and his grandfather; he'd told her that his family hadn't wanted to run the risk of getting trapped either in the secret chamber or in the Eyes of God complex, so they'd built this passageway between the two areas for security purposes.

 _He told me those things as a sign of trust—and because he wanted me to know about this tunnel if I ever had to move his grandfather or escape from the Eyes of God lair. I'm sure he never imagined that I'd ever use this passage for such a purpose as this._

The further from the secret room she got, the faster her pace became. She knew that she had to exit the Eyes of God complex before Yuwen Yue finished his little chat with his grandfather; otherwise she might be seen, and she'd have to make new plans to leave.

 _Or worse, he might even try to end our relationship then and there,_ she thought as her feet crunched softly on the sand and stone of the passage. _Or maybe he'd do what his grandfather would've probably told him to do long ago and put me in a shallow grave next to my big sister and brother._

Her heart rebelled at the idea of Yuwen Yue harming her in such a way, but her mind insisted on reminding her of not just his recent words but also those from their big argument.

 _Not to mention the way he's been treating me the past several weeks,_ she thought grimly as she neared the tunnel's entrance to the Eyes of God complex. _A few weeks ago, I never could've imagined that Yuwen Yue would say such terrible things about me after treating me with so much love and affection before, and yet I just heard them myself. If he can say and do these things, then what's stopping him from remembering just how hated an enemy I really am and acting accordingly?_

Xing'er put the issue out of her mind as she exited the corridor, breathing a thankful sigh of relief as she realized that she was alone. She'd carried a folded copy of an old secret about the Wei family in case somebody had asked her why she was there, but such subterfuge would fortunately not be necessary.

Although she regretted losing the wooden bead, its absence was secondary to her escape. She could feel the walls closing in literally and figuratively, and she breathed in the cool night air at last with relief. Xing'er could already taste freedom, and she was eager to leave Qing Shan Yuan and its infuriating master behind her forever.

 _Of course you are, Xing'er,_ her snide side interjected. _Your eagerness knows no bounds. The thought of never seeing Yuwen Yue again and eventually hearing about him wedding some other woman thrills you to your core. I can only hope that you'll continue to experience such excitement in the future._

Xing'er pointedly ignored that particular voice as she crept through Qing Shan Yuan for the last time. A few stray tears still leaked from her eyes, but her eyes were dry by the time she reached her door. She wasn't looking forward to informing her sisters about her plans, but she knew they'd obey her; they always had, after all. Surely they'd agree that fleeing to Yanbei was the best course of action for them all.

* * *

The only upside that Chun'er could see to her temporary paralysis was that she knew she wouldn't be able to alert her father or Wei Shu You to her presence in the secret passageway. She knew that the shock of what she'd just witnessed would wear off soon and that her body would be hers to command once again, but for now...For now, all she was capable of doing was staring dumbly at the scene still playing out before her and accepting that she'd just witnessed her father order the younger Wei son to assassinate Yan Xun _Ge Ge_ and his father—with a bit of help from some assassins, of course.

 _Wei Shu You isn't man enough to hurt Yan Xun_ Ge Ge _on his own,_ she thought savagely as her father continued to matter-of-factly outline the plan as if he were discussing Chun'er's upcoming birthday party. _He'd need the help of dozens of men at least, and even then they probably wouldn't succeed._

Determination and a host of other emotions rose up within the princess, but she suppressed them all in the interest of making the most of this opportunity that the Heavens had given her. She'd been playing in these secret passages with her brothers for years, but some caprice of fate had prompted her to take a walk in the one leading to the throne room for the first time in years.

 _I used to come here all the time in order to feel closer to Father,_ she thought as he walked Wei Shu You through the layout of Yanbei's palace—on a map complete with personal annotations from her father due to personal experience, of course. _Now I've never felt so far apart from him._

Chun'er had desperately wanted to believe that the tragedy that had befallen Yan Xun _Ge Ge_ had been the result of a terrible misunderstanding or a dirty lie told by an evil person. As she listened to her father calmly plotting the murders of his supposed best friend and the man he knew that Chun'er loved, however, the princess was forced to acknowledge her father's willing participation in the entire affair.

She paid close attention to what her father was saying, committing everything to memory. Once this meeting was finished, she'd sneak back to her room and write down everything she'd seen and heard, but for now…

 _I'm glad to know Father knows where to hire the best assassins,_ Chun'er mused as her father outlined potential contacts to the smirking young man. _The emperor should have access to only the best, after all. As a princess, I've grown used to having the best of everything, too, so we'll see who wins this little battle._

Wei Shu You left with the traditional farewells and bows, and Chun'er suddenly felt a crippling fear that her father would hear her sneaking away to her room. As far as she knew, he'd never known about her and Yuan Song's forays in the passages, but who could understand the minds of parents and their knowledge?

The Heavens intervened again with help from an unexpected source. Loud, strident complaints about "Xia Xia's missing hair pin" rang out as Liang's crown prince made a timely nighttime visit to the palace. Chun'er smirked at the notion of that idiot's precious Xia Xia—who was surely not more beautiful than Chun'er herself regardless of the deluded man's claims—having to live without her favorite jewelry.

She slipped away in the chaos in relief, knowing that her soft footsteps would never be heard over the din that Xiao Ce was making. Her mind easily shut out the prince's copious exhortations for assistance by mentally reciting the details of her father's meeting with Wei Shu You over and over again. Chun'er knew that she had to write down every detail perfectly; the lives of the only man she'd ever loved and his father depended on it.

Cai Wei jumped in startlement as Chun'er quickly entered her room through the hidden door in the wall and raced to her desk. She ignored her wide-eyed servant as she began to write, the words pouring from her pen as the brush stroked out the written record of her father's murderous intentions. Emotions began to push themselves to the forefront of her consciousness again; she idly realized that hatred for her father had taken root in her heart.

 _I'll never forgive him for trying to kill the man I love,_ she thought as she allowed her recently-written words to dry.

Panic started to rise in Chun'er as she realized that, now that she'd penned the words, she had no idea what to do with them. To whom, after all, could she give this information? How could she accomplish such a feat?

 _Should I just walk up to some beggar in the streets, hand him the information, and send him off to Yanbei? s_ he thought as a hysterical giggle clawed its way up her throat and through her mouth.

A cold, arrogant face formed in her mind, and she couldn't dismiss the image from her head.

 _Could I trust that ice cube with such information?_ She pondered as the chaos raged on outside. _Would he really commit treason—Is that what I've done? Committed treason?-in order to save his blood brother? Or would he turn the information—and me—over to my father instead?_

A softer, kinder face filled her head, and she smiled in acknowledgment.

 _Yu'er would know who to trust_. _Or, at least, he'd know if Yuwen Yue could be trusted. He's spent so much time out at Qing Shan Yuan, after all…_

She folded the incriminating paper and tucked it safely inside of her robes before standing up from her desk and stalking towards the door.

"Where are you going, Princess?" Cai Wei asked in alarm. "It's so late, and there's so much going on out there. Maybe you should stay here."

"I can't, Cai Wei," Chun'er said. "This is life or death. I must speak with Yu'er immediately."

"Yu'er? Princess, I don't understand."

Chun'er smiled gently at her loyal maid.

"I know you don't, Cai Wei. I'm only just beginning to understand life myself. But I just learned...something, and I need to tell Yu'er right away, and I need to make sure that this information gets...somewhere...as soon as possible, and..."

The maid looked at her in bewilderment, but she obediently opened the door for Chun'er anyway. The princess stepped through the door with perfect poise and dignity as if she weren't carrying a treasonous document on her person that could get her exiled or worse. She didn't care about her safety at this point; all that mattered to her was that Yan Xun and his father would live.

"Ah, good! Good, good, good!" she heard Xiao Ce say in the hallway as she opened the door to her brother's rooms. "Xia Xia's hair pin has been right here in my robes the whole time. Thank you for your help and cooperation. I must return to my Xia Xia now; I'm sure she'll want to demonstrate her gratefulness to me in a most satisfying manner."

Yu'er's laughter joined her own in reaction to the prince's outrageous statement and provided a perfect cover for her to produce the paper and look at him meaningfully. His face paled once he realized what he was reading, but the emotions she saw form in his eyes mirrored the ones she'd felt herself. A feeling of peace washed over Chun'er as she realized that her brother was on her side and that surely he would know how to save the life of the man they both loved in their own different ways.

* * *

AN: Our OTP really does have terrible timing. What are the odds that Xing'er would overhear nothing but the absolute worst Yuwen Yue was saying to his grandfather—without managing to hear any of the context, no less? About the same as Xing'er managing to open the large secret door, hear a convenient info dump from Gramps, and escape undetected, I'd say. Anyway. Next chapter: The reward for all this angsty tedium. Next next chapter: Fallout from the fight arc; setup for XC/XC coming to QSY. Next next next chapter: XC/XC are at QSY; shenanigans ensue. Next next next next chapter: ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	13. Chapter 13

AN: Those of you who want to skip straight to the XingYue goodness can go right to the bottom of the chapter (or the one before it if you want to get Yuwen Yue's perspective before Xing'er returns). I would, of course, recommend reading the entire chapter, but I would never dare try to come between my readership and some XingYue goodness;).

* * *

 _An entire group of assassins could attack us right now and I wouldn't even notice them until they killed us,_ Xing'er thought angrily as tears continued to stream down her cheeks despite her best efforts to stop them.

She and her sisters were all riding on Cold Fire, who seemed just as miserable and upset as Xiao Qi and Xiao Ba. Although she'd explained the situation—albeit in an abbreviated fashion—to her sisters, they were still sniffling loudly and shooting glares at her. Xing'er couldn't make herself care about their feelings since their heartbreak was nothing compared to hers.

 _They'll get over this disappointment once they make new friends in Yanbei,_ she thought as they continued to trot down the road away from Qing Shan Yuan. _We'll all be better off. I can finally fight for Yan Xun, and they can go somewhere safe—somewhere besides the place where they were once slaves. We'll all be free and happy and secure away from Yuwen Y...I mean...away from Wei._

Multiple parts of her mind assailed her with doubts, however, the farther she rode from the man she'd loved and his holdings. She'd recently felt that she herself had belonged to Yuwen Yue after a fashion, but his cruel words and actions had disabused her of that notion. The anger and pain he'd caused that night and over the previous weeks had given her a wave of anger to ride out of Qing Shan Yuan, but now that reality was setting in, she felt herself floundering.

 _He said that I would make a terrible wife,_ she reminded herself yet again. _He called me names. He said he wanted to end our relationship. He told his grandfather he'd make me a spy of sacrifice in order to get rid of me. Add to that his words from the fight and his failure to respond to my music...He clearly doesn't love me anymore, so I have to leave before our relationship deteriorates even further. I can handle this; in a few days...weeks...months...I won't even miss him. I'll be better off without him complicating my life._

A loud sniffle belied her tough words to herself; she couldn't even wipe her face because her arms were wrapped around Xiao Qi. Considering how frequently both of them were using their own hands and arms for such a purpose, she doubted they'd feel inclined to clean her cheeks as well. In fact, Xing'er could feel resentment pouring off of her sisters in waves to the degree that she figured that they'd have no sympathy for her heartache or her doubts.

 _And I do have doubts,_ she admitted to herself as twin teardrops dripped off of her chin and onto her black robes. _Every other time I've run away from Qing Shan Yuan, I've always felt an unassailable sense of rightness. I've truly believed that I had no other choice and that I was leaving nothing of value behind me. But now...this time..._

"We can still go back, _Jie Jie_ ," Xiao Ba said from behind her with a loud sniffle. "We can sneak back in and no one will even know we were gone. If we get caught, you can just make up some story like you always do and nobody will be the wiser."

"Let's go home, _Jie Jie_ ," Xiao Qi said in agreement with her sister. "Even if you and Young Master Yue don't get married, you can still work for him. I know you care for the people of Qing Shan Yuan, and they care for you, too."

"Only because they think I'm going to be their d _a_ _f_ _u_ _r_ _en_ ," Xing'er muttered. "Once they realize that Yuwen Yue doesn't care for me anymore...No. We have to leave. It's best for everyone."

She'd refrained from telling them about Yuwen Yue's idea to send her on a permanent secret mission because she hadn't wanted to upset them more than necessary. Maybe she needed to do so in order to make them understand why they had to flee.

As Xing'er opened her mouth to explain the full truth to her sisters, hoofbeats sounded in the near distance. Xiao Qi looked up at her in alarm, and she knew that Xiao Ba was likely making a similar face. She slowed Cold Fire to a walk and guided him off the road, relying on the thick cover of trees and bamboo shoots to keep her hidden from whoever was riding towards them.

 _Whoever he is, he's riding so fast and hard that he won't even have a chance to see us anyway,_ she mused as the unknown horseman's hoofbeats thundered closer.

* * *

Yuan Song wished for the thousandth time that he'd been able to convince Chun'er to allow him to deliver this information at a later date and in a less conspicuous manner. His sister, however, had gradually grown more hysterical as the reality of their father's actions—and the danger to Yan Xun—had firmed in her mind.

 _Once the shock wore off, she was inconsolable at the thought of Yan Xun being murdered at her father's orders just because she hadn't gotten the information into the right hands in time. If I hadn't have agreed to take this paper to Qing Shan Yuan, I don't know what Chun'er would've done—but it wouldn't have been prudent or well-planned._

The young prince knew that he could still end up in trouble tonight. He could be waylaid by bandits or assassins or spies. He could be recognized by someone who might be able to identify him later. He could be stopped, searched, and incriminated by the paper in his pocket. He could…

 _I could get caught sneaking into Qing Shan Yuan the way Meng Feng showed me earlier—or worse, Meng Feng herself could turn me away. Hopefully she'll consider this information to be more important than her personal feelings for me._

The former assassin had avoided Yuan Song since their cave visit several days ago. He'd gone out to Qing Shan Yuan multiple times since then to apologize, but Meng Feng had always been mysteriously absent to the degree that nobody had known where she was. Even his most devoted maids had failed to provide him with the information he'd sought, turning slightly reproachful stares on him as they'd done so. While he doubted that Meng Feng had told the servant girls the particulars of their disagreement, he was sure that she'd told them that they were to tell him that she was busy every time he asked.

 _Not that I blame her,_ he thought as the trees whizzed past. _Although I never said anything wrong, I know how observant Meng Feng is and how quickly she picks up on emotional shifts and body language cues. I think I'd finally managed to convince her that I was interested in her, and then I managed to ruin everything by discovering that I still had feelings for Xing'er at the worst possible moment._

These thoughts were nothing new; he had castigated himself over his foolish actions ever since Meng Feng had left him in the cave. How he could've considered even for a moment that Xing'er would ever love him romantically was beyond his comprehension. No matter what happened between his former beloved and Yuwen Yue, Yuan Song knew that Xing'er would never be his.

 _Nor do I really want her to be,_ he admitted. _While I love her spirit and her smile and her beauty, she's too...too...I don't know. She's too something for me. Meng Feng is a better match for me in every way, and she even seemed to care for me a bit before...Father wouldn't let me marry her any more than he would've let me wed Xing'er, but maybe Meng Feng and I could've made a relationship work somehow. She is, after all, an extraordinary woman._

Yuan Song's romantic musings were interrupted by a terrifying black blur that flew out of the woods in front of him. He pulled up his horse in a panic, hoping that he wasn't about to fall victim to one of the unsavory elements that hid in the woods along the roadside.

"Your Highness?" a familiar feminine voice asked. "What are you doing here at this hour?"

"Xing—Xing'er?" he replied in astonishment. "I could ask you the same question? What are you…? All of you? Your sisters? Is it Qing Shan Yuan? Has it been attacked? Meng Feng? Yuwen Yue? Yue Qi?"

"I'm fine," Xing'er said in a tear-choked voice that belied her assertion. "We're fine. You shouldn't be out here, Your Highness. This road can be dangerous at this hour."

"Then why are you out here, Xing'er—and with your sisters, no less? What are you..."

The answer to his question occurred to him, and his eyes widened in panic.

"You can't leave, Xing'er! What about-?"

"Yuwen Yue? He'll be upset when he finds out he won't be able to end our relationship himself, but he'll get over the disappointment in time."

"What?! End-?! Why would he-? You're not making any sense, Xing'er."

"Does it matter? We're leaving. That's all you need to know. In fact, you should probably leave, too, Your Highness; this road is no place for you."

"It's no place for you, either. In fact-"

"Nothing you can say will persuade me to return to Qing Shan Yuan, Your Highness. That's what you want me to do, isn't it? Or do you?"

Her tone was insolent, but her curiosity seemed genuine. His mind was stuck on one particular phrase she'd used: "What you want."

 _Everything your heart desires is here for the taking, Yu'er,_ a compelling voice said inside his head. _All you have to do is reach out and take it—to take her. You can be quite persuasive when you want to be, Yu'er, so convince her to let you protect her and her sisters. Promise to keep them somewhere safe. Tell her that there are no strings attached to your offer, but down the road, maybe you'll be able to convince her to display her gratitude by becoming your wife—or something like a wife, at least._

The realization that this inner voice sounded like his father managed to snap Yuan Song out of his fantasy and amuse him due to the irony of the situation. After all, as he'd noted earlier, his father never would've let him marry Xing'er, although he wasn't above using his son's affection for the woman to get his own selfish way.

"I want what's best for you, Xing'er," he said, knowing it for the truth. "And I want what's best for my friends—all of them. In one of my pockets is a piece of paper with some information that's important enough that my source wanted it to be delivered right away. This person witnessed this conversation personally and has a vested interest in keeping our mutual friend safe. I was going to deliver this message personally, but you would be more suited to the task, I think."

"Oh? And why's that, Your Highness? Delivering a piece of paper doesn't seem like it would be too difficult even for the stupidest of men."

"This particular paper is important, Xing'er."

"You said that already."

"Because it's true. It's important to my source. It's important to me. It's important to our mutual friend."

"I'm sure whoever is going to be getting that piece of paper will be grateful for the information it contains. I have somewhere to be, however, so if you'll excuse me, Your Highness-"

"You don't understand, Xing'er," Yuan Song said in desperation. "You're probably thinking of the wrong mutual friend. I'm not speaking of your former master; I'm speaking of our other mutual friend."

Xing'er's eyes widened in comprehension before turning mercenary in their intensity.

"I might be able to help you after all, Your Highness," she said, holding out her hand.

The prince reached into his robe and handed the paper to Xing'er, figuring that—at least in this matter—she'd prove herself trustworthy. The moon was bright enough for Xing'er to be able to read the paper, and Yuan Song was satisfied to see her eyes widen yet again as the words sank in. She transferred the paper into her own robes without hesitation and settled herself in her saddle.

"You don't have to worry about this anymore, Your Highness," she said calmly. "I will soon be able to deliver this message personally, so you and your source won't have to worry about our...mutual friend. Now if you don't mind, I must be going."

"But Xing'er," Yuan Song said in desperation, "I think that someone else needs to know about that paper, too."

"You are, of course, free to tell anyone you want to about the contents of that paper," Xing'er said, affecting boredom. "Xing'er would never dare to tell His Highness what he can and cannot do."

"If a certain someone were not to be made aware of this information-"

"Then nothing whatsoever would happen differently since that paper will soon reach the right hands anyway. Besides, you can just pay a visit in a couple of days and talk to the right people then."

"No."

"Or not; I don't really care, Your Highness. I no longer want to have anything to do with anybody from Wei, so if you'll excuse me-"

"I won't," Yuan Song said, reaching out and grasping at Cold Fire's bridle on a gamble. He expected the horse to rear or strike him with his hooves, but the stallion stayed still, seeming to not want to leave any more than the sisters did. "If you don't go back and tell them, I won't do it for you. Then they'll never know, and who knows what complications could arise as a result?"

"Why would those complications be my problem—especially if you're the one who chooses not to tell them what you know?"

Yuan Song's shoulders slumped. What had made him think that he could beat Xing'er at a game like this anyway? He decided to default to his typical method of persuasion in a last-ditch effort to save the situation.

"Please don't go, Xing'er," he said, looking Xing'er in the eye with his most earnest gaze. "You'll be making a big mistake and hurting a lot of people—yourself most of all."

"Your Highness-"

"I know some of what you've been through this past week," he continued as if she hadn't spoken. "I know how difficult Yuwen Yue can be sometimes. I also know that he loves you and that you love him. And before you deny that, think: Who would know better than me? Who would've wanted that to be untrue at one time more than me? Who would've once done anything..."

"He doesn't love me anymore, Your Highness," Xing'er said, her shoulders slumping and her mask lowering. "He said so."

"What?! When?! How, exactly, did he say so? Did he actually say those words to you?"

"He also said that I would make a terrible wife for him, that I lacked the tools to be his wife, that I brought him nothing of value, and that he wanted to end our relationship."

Yuan Song gaped at Xing'er in an unprincely way, his ability to speak nowhere to be found.

"Did he...did he actually say that to your face or...Xing'er, I can honestly say that I can more easily picture Yuwen Huai comforting a maid sincerely than I can imagine Yuwen Yue saying those things to you."

Xing'er's shifty eyes told the young prince enough.

"He didn't say that to you, did he?" Yuan Song asked in triumph. "You probably overheard him saying these things to someone and didn't understand the situation, right? I'll bet you didn't even overhear the entire conversation. There must be some logical explanation for his words."

"Of course there is, Your Highness. Yuwen Yue doesn't love me anymore, so he decided to break off our informal engagement and send me away. I decided to give him what he wanted—well, except for the satisfaction of ending things between us himself, of course. I'm sure he'll be dismayed at being denied that pleasure."

"If he hasn't actually told you these things, then there's still hope," Yuan Song said with determination. "You snuck out, didn't you, Xing'er? You didn't even say goodbye to anyone. You can't...Okay, you can, but...Xing'er, if you don't go back and face Yuwen Yue, you'll regret the lost opportunity your whole life. I know he loves you; I've seen the truth of that in spite of the pain it's caused me. Please go home, Xing'er."

The former slave stared at him for a few moments, her face unreadable and her tears dried on her face.

"You should go home, Your Highness," she said softly before gathering herself to ride away. "This road is dangerous—especially for someone like you."

"But Xing'er!"

"I'll think about it, Your Highness," she said before prodding Cold Fire forward.

"You're making a mistake, Xing'er! This won't make you happy. I just...I just want you to be happy."

"I know you do, Yuan Song," Xing'er said, smiling wanly but sincerely at him. "You're a good friend. Now go home before you get caught by brigands—or worse."

She sped up Cold Fire again, likely trying to make up for lost time. Yuan Song watched her go with what he knew must be a look of helpless despair, feeling the burn of his failure deep within. He knew he'd eventually have to face several people and admit his inability to fix the situation.

 _I'd rather talk about Xia Xia with Xiao Ce than to have to explain the truth to Yuwen Yue, Chun'er, and Meng Feng._

A rustle from the woods near the roadside caused his head to whip back around and his mouth to drop open as a heart-stopping sight met his eyes. Another familiar figure flowed out of the forest, its beauty in the moonlight touching him deeply inside. She gestured into the woods and melted back into them, so he followed her as he knew she wanted him to—as he knew he always would.

* * *

Just because Meng Feng had spent the bulk of the past week berating herself for having foolish feelings for a certain young prince did not mean that she had been oblivious to the obvious changes that had taken place in Xing'er's behavior. She'd watched the woman go from angry to cagey to resigned to determined, and she—like the general, apparently—had recognized the look that had settled on Xing'er's face over the last several days.

The former assassin had taken to standing watch outside of Xing'er's quarters when she could, determined to protect her friend if and when she decided to leave Qing Shan Yuan behind. She'd decided that she would, of course, do her best to persuade Xing'er to return to her home—and the master—without suggesting that the young woman had no say in the matter. After all, Xing'er and her sisters were free, and nobody had the right to tell them where they could and could not go.

Meng Feng had followed Xing'er and her sisters out of Qing Shan Yuan and had not been surprised when the three girls—some with more enthusiasm than others—had mounted the black stallion that had apparently been tied up outside of the courtyard earlier. Part of her had wanted to try to convince them not to leave, but the expression on Xing'er's face had told her loud and clear that advice would not have been welcome.

She'd trailed them from the woods paralleling the road, doing her best to stay close enough to intervene if necessary but far enough away that Xing'er wouldn't sense her presence. Xing'er had begun to silently cry shortly after leaving Qing Shan Yuan, however, so Meng Feng had taken the chance of following her more closely than normal. She'd relished the opportunity to push thoughts of Yuan Song to the back of her mind while she concentrated on keeping her friends safe and ultimately getting them to return to Qing Shan Yuan.

And then her perception of reality had been turned upside down as she'd witnessed the man she loved—for she could no longer mentally refer to him as anything else—let go of his own former beloved in a mature and thoughtful manner. As she'd listened to the prince try to convince Xing'er to return home to the man he'd once considered his rival in order to deliver what she assumed was information regarding Yan Xun, Meng Feng had realized that she'd fallen hopelessly in love with Yuan Song regardless of where their relationship went. Part of her wanted to be angry at herself, but the rest of her just shrugged helplessly and continued to watch the scene unfold.

A cautious part of herself had told her to wait a few moments before following Xing'er without revealing her presence to the prince, but her emotional side—and the forlorn expression on Yuan Song's face—had prompted her to reach out to the man she loved. She'd led him a little ways into the forest in order to give them privacy from any unsavory people who might be spying on them; Yuan song had not objected to the promise of seclusion.

Meng Feng led the prince to a small clearing just big enough to contain the two of them, his horse, and the pale moonlight. Wordlessly, he dismounted, coming to stand before her with a mixture of emotions playing on his face. The moon was bright enough for her to see his eyes, which held apology and fear among other feelings. They stared at one another, neither seeming to know what to say.

"That was a good thing you did, Yuan Song," she said, finally breaking the silence. "I know that must have been hard for you."

"Not as hard as it would've been before I met...I mean...a few months ago."

He fidgeted in an endearing manner, his nervousness rendering him speechless.

"You saved multiple people tonight, Yuan Song—maybe more than you know."

"But I failed," he said miserably. "I handed over the intelligence to Xing'er, who still ran away."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Meng Feng said as a serene smile shaped her lips.

"What do you mean? Xing'er left. She's still running away from...all of us."

"I wouldn't be so sure," she repeated. "I would imagine that Xing'er has probably planned her escape well. She's gone out multiple times this week and has returned with purchases after each trip. I have a feeling she arranged for more than travel robes and a spare weapon or two. In fact, she's probably supposed to meet someone who likely shouldn't stay in Wei any longer than necessary."

"Someone who can make good use of my information?" Yuan Song said, his eyes lighting with hope.

"Exactly. I suspect that this person will likely be in an excellent position to put that intelligence to good use quickly."

"More quickly than would've happened had I followed through with my original plan of coming to see you."

"So now you got to see me anyway. You got to turn the information over to someone who could get it to its destination more quickly than would've happened otherwise—at no risk to Qing Shan Yuan. You got Xing'er to think about what she was doing and why she was doing it. I'd say you did very well tonight, Yuan Song."

"Maybe," he said with a skeptical expression on his face.

His downcast features called out to her, and she found herself acting without conscious thought. She closed the small distance between herself and the prince and wrapped her arms around his waist before resting her head against his chest. He gasped in shock before instinctively wrapping his own arms around her and drawing her even closer. A tension she hadn't even been consciously aware of loosened within her—at least for the moment.

 _How can this feel so amazing when almost everything else is in such a state of uncertainty? s_ he mused as she tried to convince herself to pull away from the prince's embrace.

"I'm sorry, Meng Feng," he whispered into her ear. "I'm sorry for what you saw in my eyes, for what I allowed you to think..."

She tightened her grip on him in response, offering him wordless forgiveness.

"You gave me the strength to do what I did tonight, Meng Feng," he murmured. "The Heavens seemed to hold out to me everything I've ever thought I wanted, but in that moment, I realized I no longer wanted those things anymore—especially not at such a high cost. Thank you, Meng Feng."

"I didn't do much," she demurred. "You did what was right because that's what you do, Yuan Song. That's what I...admire most about you."

A sharp intake of breath told her that he'd guessed what she'd been going to say, but his only reply was to dip his head and nuzzle her hair while breathing deeply.

"Now I understand why Yuwen Yue does that to Xing'er all the time," he said in a dazedly pleased tone.

"Xing'er," Meng Feng mumbled before her eyes popped wide open and she sprung out of the prince's arms. "Xing'er! I'm supposed to be following Xing'er to keep her safe. I wanted to let her get a bit in front of me so that she wouldn't notice me tracking her, but if I don't leave now..."

"Of course," Yuan Song said with wide eyes. "Go after her. Maybe you can bring her home."

"I'll try. Go home yourself, Yuan Song—and don't get caught. The last thing we need is for some useful busybody to notice your absence from the palace or see you on the road to Qing Shan Yuan in the middle of the night."

He mounted his horse and stared down at her, love and admiration shining down on her. She smiled back at him, certain that her own heart was likely revealing itself in her gaze as well.

"Be careful, Meng Feng," he murmured before turning his horse around and trotting back towards the road.

"Be careful, my love," she whispered into the empty darkness before she resumed her protective mission.

* * *

The slim form facing Xing'er at the edge of the darkness of the clearing wasn't much larger than Xing'er herself. While the dark-clad warrior might've been a slightly-built man, the odds were good that it was a woman—perhaps one of the female fighters that Yan Xun had told her about during one of their talks. Male or female, the figure stood still, studying Xing'er as if it were trying to evaluate her.

Of course, the figure might have simply been trying to make Xing'er nervous and cause her to make the first move, but Xing'er was well-versed in the art of standing stubbornly and silently still. Her mind couldn't help but wander back to her conversation with Yuan Song—especially since the intuition she'd relied on for most of her life was no longer telling her that she was on the right path.

 _He was right,_ her rational side prodded her yet again. _Saying all of those terrible things about you was out of character for Yuwen Yue._

 _He's been saying terrible things to me since he found out that I actually have a life outside of him,_ she fired back.

 _Yes, but he's never overtly said that he doesn't want to marry you or that he's going to get rid of you. Yuan Song was right to point that out, and you were wrong to fail to use the skills Yuwen Yue taught you to examine the situation._

Against her will, images of that long-ago perception lesson flashed through her mind. She could easily see Yuwen Yue unrolling only part of a scroll and asking her to describe what was happening in the illustration within, only to reveal the full picture to her after she'd guessed incorrectly.

 _I have no context for those things Yuwen Yue said to his grandfather,_ she admitted. _A few hours ago, I was glad to have missed the first and last parts of their...conversation, but now...How do I know if I've seen the whole picture or if I've drawn the wrong conclusion from a partial image?_

"I take it you've brought the item that our mutual friend told you bring," the figure finally said in a feminine voice.

"Mm," Xing'er said, slowly pulling the _bili_ from her robes while mentally congratulating herself on remembering to rub the dust off of it before she'd left her room.

 _Not that the fighter would be able to see any dust in this low light, but still…_

Her heart clenched as she remembered the moment she'd placed Yuwen Yue's flute on her desk where the _bili_ had rested; the thought of him discovering her parting shot failed to fill her with the pleasure she'd expected to feel. While she'd convinced herself earlier that she was merely returning the flute to its rightful owner since Yuwen Yue had told her that only the woman who would be his wife could play it, she had to admit now that she'd positioned the flute in a way that would bring maximum pain to the man who'd once been her fiance.

The woman nodded once, and Xing'er replaced the Yanbei flute in her robes. The weight and size felt alien since she was used to carrying a smaller and lighter flute.

"Are you ready to go?"

The question was asked softly, but to Xing'er, it held the loudness and force of a thunderclap. For all of her life—what she could remember of it, anyway—she'd become accustomed to following her instincts and sorting out the consequences of her actions later. She knew that the girl she used to be would've agreed with the fighter without hesitation after smothering her doubts and shrugging off any notion of reconsidering a decided course of action.

"I'm sorry," she said to the woman. "I'm sorry, but I can't go. I know you risked a lot to come here, but..."

Two cries sounded behind and above her, and Xing'er registered that the noises had been made by her sisters from their perches on Cold Fire's back. They weren't sounds of despair, however, but of joy. Shame washed through her as she realized that all her rationalizations about how she was going to Yanbei for her sisters were lies.

"I have, however, just received some intelligence that will be of interest to you and our mutual friend—especially when a mutual enemy takes some of his own special friends for a visit. It was given to me by someone trustworthy, and it was given to him by...I don't know for sure, but if my guess is correct, this person cares about our mutual friend even more than I do. Please take it as a token of my appreciation for your efforts—and as an apology for having wasted your time."

"Are you sure?" the woman asked as Xing'er walked up to her and handed over the paper. "We could use someone like you. I've seen you fight."

"Ah?" Xing'er blurted.

"In the shopkeeper's place. We fought together against the Liang spies."

"You!" Xing'er exclaimed as she took a closer look at the warrior.

"Me."

For a few moments, the excitement over the prospect of a new adventure rose up before Xing'er, beckoning with a come-hither gesture and a tip of a figurative head. She could imagine traveling to a new place, meeting new people, reconnecting with old friends, and fighting the good fight. Maybe she could even learn some more about her identity.

"I'm sorry, Miss," Xing'er said, following her instincts. "I wish I could...I wish we could...but I can't leave. I have to go back."

The woman looked at her knowingly, and Xing'er had a feeling that the warrior knew exactly what—or who—was calling her back to Qing Shan Yuan.

"His Highness was excited when I told him you were coming; he was surprised, to say the least."

Xing'er sighed sadly, regret lancing through her as she realized how disappointed Yan Xun was going to be when this woman and her escort returned home empty-handed.

"I know. And I know when he realizes I've once again chosen...never mind. Tell him I'm sorry, that he has friends in high and low places in Wei, that I'll...tell him I'm sorry."

The woman nodded curtly and shifted, obviously ready to leave this clearing and Wei itself behind.

"I thank you for the information; we will, of course, have to do our best to verify its reliability on our own."

"Of course," Xing'er replied, feeling her own home calling to her loudly. "You won't have long to wait, though, so your verification will come soon enough one way or another."

"Right. Thank you. If you ever have anything else like this to pass on—or if you ever want to leave—go to the same person. Our mutual friend values you highly and would do anything necessary to retrieve you."

Xing'er smiled wistfully.

"I know. Tell him...Tell him I'll play the _bili_ over Yuwen Huai's grave in his honor."

That got a small but genuine smile from the woman.

"I'm sure he'll appreciate that."

"Mm," Xing'er said before clasping her hands in front of her and bowing. "Thank you once again for coming for us; I hope you'll be able to use that information to keep our mutual friend safe. I will leave first."

Xing'er turned around and strode quickly back to Cold Fire, vaulting onto his back between her sisters in a smooth motion. The stallion didn't waste energy protesting and quickly sought out the path back to the road without waiting for instruction from Xing'er. As the horse's hoofbeats sounded on the road again, Xing'er began formulating a plan in her mind.

 _Hopefully Yuwen Yue—or anyone else, for that matter—won't even have noticed our absence. We can sneak back in without anyone being the wiser, and I can confront Yuwen Yue once and for all tomorrow. If that results in a permanent severing of our relationship, then I can always just go to Yanbei on my own. If all goes well…_

Part of Xing'er wanted to fantasize about what might happen if all went well, but the rest of her didn't want to dwell on such things only to have her hopes dashed by the man who had once claimed to love her.

* * *

Yuwen Yue knew that he was in danger of snapping Xing'er's flute in half, but he couldn't seem to make his hand work properly. He was crushing the flute in his grasp just as the knowledge that the woman he loved would never play this flute again was crushing his heart. All of the reasons behind his anger at Xing'er faded into insignificance in the face of the reality of her absence.

 _How could someone as stubborn and persistent as Xing'er have left me? h_ e agonized in the dimness of Xing'er's room. _Where did her toughness and tenacity go? How could she stop loving me? Did she ever love me? Were these past couple of months a lie? Did she steal information from the Eyes of God to take to Yanbei?_

Water dropped onto the flute in his hand, and Yuwen Yue dully realized that he was crying for the first time in years. Had he even cried when his grandfather had been poisoned? He didn't think so; after all, Grandfather wouldn't have approved.

 _You would've approved of Xing'er leaving, Grandfather,_ Yuwen Yue thought darkly _. You would've looked at me with that wise, condescending expression of yours, said something about inevitable betrayal and the unworthiness of maids, and admonished me to forget about her and to do my duty._

The thought of doing his duty with some pretty face from excellent blood lines nauseated him and weakened his knees, sending him reeling backwards onto Xing'er's bed. He sat on its edge numbly as the long, unforgiving future stretched before his imagination. All it contained was duty, honor, killing, spying, and serving the state.

" _What more does a man need, Yue'er?" h_ e could hear his grandfather ask.

" _A reason for living, for starters,"_ his father's voice responded.

Yuwen Yue scowled at the realization that his father and grandfather were having a figurative argument in his mind, but he let his consciousness use this unorthodox method of solving his current dilemma.

" _What more reasons for living does a man need outside of duty and honor? Love? Love fades over time. You'll forget about Xing'er eventually, Yue'er. You'll marry Chun'er like we've discussed. You'll never love her, but you'll take care of her. In return, she'll provide you with heirs that will have royal blood in their veins. She'll also provide you with a connection to the royals, which will regain their trust of the Eyes of God once you're family."_

The spymaster could well imagine his father's contempt at such a speech.

" _Yue'er,"_ he'd say with a snort, _"you're never going to forget about Xing'er. Never. You're never going to find a woman better suited to you and Qing Shan Yuan, either. If you allow her to leave you, then you'll be just another Yuwen who couldn't hold onto his woman in the end. Now go after her and face her like a man."_

" _Why should you go after a woman who's already chosen to be with another man?"_ his grandfather's voice ranted. _"And that's exactly what she's done, Yue'er. The location of that flute was no accident. Xing'er placed it directly where Yan Xun's_ bili _had been sitting these past few months—and drew attention to its location with a single lit candle, no less. She wanted you to see that flute as soon as you walked into the room. She wanted to hurt you, Yue'er."_

Xing'er had hurt him, Yuwen Yue acknowledged dully. Yue Qi had come to him in a panic, barging into Yuwen Yue's room and telling him that an Afterlife Camp assassin on patrol had caught a glimpse of Xing'er climbing over the wall. His loyal guard captain had stammered an apology that the guard hadn't reported his observation until the end of his patrol, but Yuwen Yue had walked out of his quarters before Yue Qi could say any more.

Once again, Yuwen Yue had stalked across the courtyard towards Xing'er's rooms, fearful of what he would find once he reached them. His father's words from their earlier discussion rang in his ears as he walked to the guest room on the outskirts of Qing Shan Yuan that he'd given Xing'er. He'd wanted Xing'er to live in a more secluded, private place for her comfort, but she'd repaid his generosity with a level of betrayal that he hadn't understood until he'd thrown open the doors to her room and finally come face to face with his personal nightmare.

Just as Xing'er had surely wanted, his eyes had been instantly drawn to the glowing candle resting on her desk slightly behind his mother's flute. The message—and rejection—was stark, incisive, and painful. She'd taken her sisters to a land that contained a man who would do his best to give Xing'er everything she could ever need or want—including himself. An arrow through the chest would've been less agonizing. Anger filled him again at this wound unjustly inflicted on him by the woman who'd claimed to love him.

" _What right do you have to be angry at Xing'er?"_ his father's voice admonished. _"How many times did you push her away with no explanation? How many times did she try to talk with you and you shut her out of your life instead? How many times did you shame her publicly by rejecting her rightful presence at your side? While she reached the wrong conclusion about your feelings, Yue'er, her feelings are perfectly logical."_

Yuwen Yue's head drooped even lower as he acknowledged the rightness of his conscience's scolding. The look on Xing'er's face that time he'd pushed her away in front of everyone in the courtyard after leaving the _tai fu ren_ 's quarters flashed through his mind, as did her confused, hurt expressions after he'd refused to treat her with the love and respect to which she'd become accustomed as his betrothed. His anger ebbed away only to be replaced by a flood of shame. He acknowledged to himself that his behavior had led to the loss of the one person who had made him believe for the first time since early childhood that he might be able to live instead of merely survive.

" _Who says you have to lose her, Yue'er? Xing'er has her sisters with her, so they can't be traveling too quickly. You can still find her. You can still apologize. You can still bring her home to Qing Shan Yuan where she belongs. You can still make her your wife—and, eventually, the mother of your children."_

" _The mother of Yan Xun's children, you mean,"_ his grandfather's voice said. _"Just accept that she's betrayed you and move on. Be the leader of the Eyes of God. Be the master of the Yuwen holdings. Be the consummate servant of the state. Be a good husband to a beautiful woman of noble or royal birth. Be a good father to your heirs. You'll live a better life than you would if you were constantly full of worry that Xing'er would leave you."_

" _Yes, Yue'er,"_ his father's voice sneered. _"If you do all of these things, then you, too, could be as happy as your grandfather and I in due time. What a worthwhile, wonderful life awaits you if you let Xing'er walk away from you."_

" _She's already made her choice, Yue'er. Now you just need to make yours. Forget her. Let her go."_

" _Go after her, Yue'er. Be a man—and not a Yuwen man, either. Be your own man. Live your own life—but above all, live."_

"Enough!" he barked, shocked that he'd spoken aloud. He was thankful that Yue Qi seemed to have either not followed him here at all or, more likely, had noticed Xing'er's absence and his master's mood and discreetly left.

 _I'll go to her,_ he decided after a few more moments of thought. I _'ll at least do my best to find her—to make sure that she stays safe if nothing else. If she and her sisters are alone, I'll approach them and try to plead my case. If they're not...then at least I'll know that they've met their contact and will soon be safely away._

Both voices grumbled their discontent, satisfying Yuwen Yue that he'd managed to find a balanced, logical solution that all aspects of his mind found insufficient. After all, he'd heard it said that a true compromise is one that leaves everyone feeling dissatisfied, and he wouldn't want to allow either his emotions or his logic to solely govern his choices.

He stood up swiftly, eager to be on his way now that he'd made his decision. While he knew that the odds of being able to persuade his beloved to return to him were slim, he acknowledged that a failure to try would haunt him for the rest of his days. The spymaster had only taken a single step towards the open door of Xing'er's room before he heard a sound that caused his heart to speed up followed by a sight that almost made it stop.

* * *

Xing'er knew that the image of the figure framed in the open door before her would be seared into her memory for the rest of her life. All of her plans for sneaking back into Qing Shan Yuan undetected went up in smoke as she took in the disheveled man standing in the middle of her room. Moonlight and the candle on her desk provided the only illumination, but the meager lighting was bright enough to show her Yuwen Yue's red eyes, tear-streaked cheeks, and mussed hair.

 _That's not the picture of a man who's angry about losing a valuable possession,_ her mind pointed out to her.

While she couldn't see Yuwen Yue's eyes, she could discern enough of his general posture to be able to tell that her leaving—and, perhaps, the message she'd left him through his mother's flute—had rendered him vulnerable and gutted. Her eyes tracked down to his hands and noted the flute clasped tightly in his grasp before returning to the spymaster's face. In the moment or two she'd looked away from his face, he'd taken the chance to slip his arrogant, superior mask back into place.

 _I may as well turn around and walk back out through that door,_ she thought bleakly. _As usual, the Heavens seem to have orchestrated this confrontation to occur under the worst possible circumstances. How is our timing always so terrible?_

Xing'er's mind had no answer for her as she and Yuwen Yue continued to stare at one another. She idly wondered if they were going to be locked in this gaze for all eternity—or, at least, until Yue Qi came back for his master in the morning. To her surprise, her sisters—about whom she'd completely forgotten—broke the silence with a confusing, overlapping burst of chatter.

"Greetings, Young Master Yue!"

"Yes! Right! Greetings, Young Master Yue!"

"As much as we would love to stay and talk with you, we have to..."

"We have to...ah..."

"We have to say something to..."

"We need to go talk to..."

"Yue Qi!"

"Meng Feng!"

"Right! Meng Feng!"

"Right! Yue Qi!"

"We need to...go!"

Xing'er eyed her sisters with exasperation as each one placed her small traveling bundle inside an opposite side of the door, gave a sketchy bow to Yuwen Yue, and bolted back outside without looking back. Not that she could blame them; in fact, she wished she could join them even as she forced herself to walk through the door and stand in front of him. Her determination to mend her relationship with Yuwen Yue seemed weaker now that she was actually face to face with the man—especially since he hadn't even acknowledged any of her sisters' ridiculous words.

"Aren't you going to say something, Xing'er?" Yuwen Yue finally said. "You're the one who came back, after all."

"I ran into...someone on the road who gave me some intelligence I had to deliver elsewhere—but I knew you needed to know it, so I came back to tell you," Xing'er said, trying her hardest to keep her voice business-like and reasonable.

"So you had to meet someone else in order to find some intelligence? I'm not surprised, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said with a sneer.

Xing'er scowled but held onto her temper. After all, she'd known that reconciling with Yuwen Yue was going to be difficult under the best of circumstances, and their current situation didn't meet that description. Mindful of the open door at her back, Xing'er tried to word her explanation as discreetly as possible.

"A mutual friend who has a sister with an upcoming birthday told me that some...special friends are going to be visiting our mutual friend to the north."

Yuwen Yue blinked at her, acting as if the important news she'd just told him was meaningless.

"Is that really the best code you could come up with, Xing'er? I'm ashamed to call myself your teacher."

A spike of anger rushed through her as she wondered why she'd bothered to return to this place—and to this man who would never again treat her as someone he cherished. She'd allowed herself to think with her heart instead of her head out on the road, and now she was paying the price.

 _If I leave now, maybe I can catch up with the mysterious woman and her escort,_ she thought grimly as she formed her face into a sickly-sweet grin.

"Don't worry, Yuwen Yue. I won't tell anyone I meet about you—ever."

She whirled around and stalked back towards the open door, stooping in anticipation of grabbing her sisters' belongings. Her way was suddenly blocked, however, by a solid form that had appeared before her and closed the door before she'd even realized it had moved. Xing'er straightened and glared up into the face of her former mentor, knowing that, although she couldn't see well enough to look into his eyes, his superior vision was capable of seeing the anger and loathing in hers.

Her traitorous body, however, was certainly not feeling anger and loathing as it instinctively reacted to the proximity of the man she'd loved by leaning towards him slightly. She couldn't blame her body for craving the feeling of his arms around her waist, his chest beneath her hands, his lips on hers….

Xing'er took a few steps backwards before whirling around towards her desk, which contained the single source of illumination in the room now that the stream of moonlight had been cut off. She was always mindful of the eyes burning a hole in her back, but she did her best to ignore them as she used the candle to light a few more candles and lanterns around her room. The activity soothed her as it gave her some physical and emotional distance from the dark, taciturn man currently blocking her escape.

She'd hoped that Yuwen Yue would say or do something while she was brightening the room, but of course, he stayed silent. Why had she ever expected him to do anything she wanted him to do? He seemed content to stand in front of her door while staring at her with that haughty, closed-off expression she hated so much. Xing'er could feel the walls starting to close in on her again as her captive state sank in, and she reacted accordingly.

"So what do you want to fight about this time, Yuwen Yue?" Xing'er asked caustically once she was done with her task. "I tried to keep this from happening, but since you clearly want to fight again, let's fight. What will we argue about this time? Am I too persistent? Not persistent enough? Am I disobedient? Or maybe I'm self-righteous. Impetuous. Undisciplined. Do you want to tell me all of the ways I'd make a terrible wife to my face?"

His aloof, placid demeanor wavered slightly to reflect confusion, but he quickly masked his features once again.

"You're a liar, Xing'er."

"We've already argued about that, Yuwen Yue. I was hoping we could argue about something different since fighting over the same subjects is boring and tiresome. Maybe you'll come up with some fresh accusations of deception, though, so I'll humor you. How am I a liar, Yuwen Yue?"

"You once promised you wouldn't leave without giving me a chance to explain myself, but you did."

Xing'er laughed incredulously as anger continued to flow through her and loosen her tongue.

"And just when was I supposed to have this conversation with you, Yuwen Yue? When you were pushing me away? When you were shutting me out of your life? When you were blaming me for caring enough about you to seek help elsewhere? Oh, I know: We were supposed to have this enlightening talk right after you said we shouldn't get married and then stared at me with such loathing and hate. I'm sorry I didn't pick up on that cue. Or maybe I should've come into that secret place earlier tonight and you could've told me all of my faults in person!"

To her satisfaction, Yuwen Yue's expression finally changed to one of at least partial understanding. Xing'er was nowhere near finished, though, so she gave him no chance to interrupt her.

"Besides, I did give you a chance. I called you with my flute and you didn't come. I'd already decided to leave, but I wanted to give you one more chance to change my mind. It's not my fault that you didn't take that chance. And then I snuck into that place through the back way to try to retrieve...something…and I heard you say those things..."

The memory of the way he'd belittled and insulted her during his one-sided conversation with his grandfather assaulted her again, causing her shoulders to slump as the fight went out of her.

"I don't even know why I came back here," Xing'er muttered. "I would've left, except I ran into Yuan Song, who was devastated I was leaving."

Mentioning one of Yuwen Yue's would-be rivals for her affections caused him to sneer and say, "I'll bet he was."

"He was!" she shouted. "He was devastated for both of us! He seemed to be almost as concerned for you as he was for me! He told me I was making a mistake—that I'd regret not coming back here my whole life. I guess he was right: Now I know that leaving is the right decision because I can see that you truly do despise me. Please just let me go."

Yuwen Yue stared at her for a long moment, his eyes providing evidence of a great inner conflict taking place inside of the man she still loved in spite of herself. His gaze cleared and then sharpened, telling Xing'er that he'd made a decision. He took a few steps towards her and stopped an arm's length away.

"Okay," he said remotely. "As you so aptly said before, you're not my slave anymore. I won't keep you from leaving, but I won't let you go until you understand what happened earlier tonight."

"Are you talking about earlier when you didn't respond to my flute-playing or earlier when you were listing all the reasons why I would make a terrible wife for you?"

"Both can be explained with one word: Timing."

"Timing?"

"Yes, Xing'er. Timing."

"Our timing is terrible."

"Yes, it is. For instance, how did you manage to hear only the worst part of that conversation without any context? What are the odds that you would miss the first and last parts of that...conversation while only hearing the middle? If I were to set a trap for an enemy that hinged on him—or her—only hearing a specific snippet of dialogue, I wouldn't be able to time my words that precisely."

"So there was context to that conversation after all? I thought as much," Xing'er said, trying to sound rational but failing miserably. "I told Yuan Song some of what you said, but he got me to admit that you hadn't said those things directly to me and that I hadn't overheard the entire conversation."

Her logical speech didn't fool Yuwen Yue; in fact, she could see a slight twinkle in his eyes for the first time in weeks.

"How very mature of you, Xing'er," he said mockingly but without too sharp an edge to his voice. "As I said, you heard only the middle of my speech. You didn't hear the first part in which I established that I was telling him that I knew what he would say or the second part in which I refuted each point one by one."

"Oh."

Yuwen Yue's eyes warmed unmistakably this time as she deliberately gave him one of her replies that always got under his skin.

"I went to him, Xing'er, because I wanted to tell him everything I couldn't say to you while you were playing your flute. I did come to you, but I didn't know what to say or how to fix our relationship. My father came to me after you left, and he convinced me to talk to you, but even then..."

Oddly enough, Yuwen Yue's inability to express himself filled Xing'er with hope as it at least conveyed deep feelings other than indifference. His closed demeanor of earlier—and the past few weeks—was also gone, replaced by an open desire for communication. Hope flared within her for the first time in what felt like years, and the warming of his voice told her that her feelings had reached her eyes.

"So I went there, Xing'er, and I told him that I knew exactly what he would say to me. I then listed out all of the arguments he would've made against you. That's what you heard, Xing'er. How much did you hear? You must've left just after I said..."

Pain flashed in his eyes as he seemed to recall how he'd said that he'd send her on a suicide mission. He stepped closer to her, bringing his face into better focus and providing her with a clearer view into his gaze. Emotions that she hadn't seen for so long swirled in his eyes as he gave her a potent look that left her weak in the knees.

"Let me tell you everything you missed, X'er," he said, rasping her name in that wonderful way. "After I'd told him what you overheard, I told him every way he was wrong. I told him that, while you could be all of those qualities I named, you were also strong, smart, beautiful, brave, resilient, caring, and loving. I told him that being a _da fu ren_ is so easy that many moronic women manage to do it, so my observant, cunning Xing'er will surely have no problems learning the necessary skills—especially with the best teacher in all of Wei for a mentor."

Xing'er's skeptical hmph was a bit too husky to be convincing. Yuwen Yue's eyes darkened further as he continued, his own tongue apparently having been loosened by his emotions as much as Xing'er's had previously.

"I told him that, while you don't bring me any connections or prestige, you bring me yourself, which is more than enough. I told him that, even if you do regain your memories, the Eyes of God will never again have to fear the Underworld because you would never move against me—well, not in terms of combat, anyway."

Her eyes widened as the double entendre clarified itself in her mind, which gleefully began outlining multiple scenarios in which she might find herself moving against the man before her. He brought those dreams closer to reality by closing the distance between them until they were as close as they could get outside of an embrace.

"Do you know what I told him last, X'er?" he asked, his eyes boring into hers. "I told him that I didn't care about any of those things I'd mentioned earlier. I told him that I didn't care about anything you'd said during one of our arguments or anything you'd done before or after them. I told him that nothing else mattered but the fact that you were the only woman who would ever be my wife or the mother of my children."

Tears filled Xing'er's eyes as she reached a shaking hand up to Yuwen Yue's cheek. Part of her still expected him to pull away from her as he'd done multiple times these past several weeks, but he allowed her to gently lay her hand against the side of his face. Twin tears tracked down her own cheeks as she felt the man she loved lean his face slightly into her touch. All of the anger and the frustration and the arguments of the past several weeks disappeared into nothingness as Xing'er centered on the most important issue.

"Do you still love me, Yuwen Yue?" she whispered, dropping her hand as she looked up at her beloved with wide, nervous eyes.

Once again, Yuwen Yue moved too quickly for Xing'er to see as one hand pulled her against him while the other tilted her head back. His hot mouth pressed against hers with a welcoming familiarity that washed away the pain of the past month and drove her doubts—and all rational thought—from her mind. Xing'er vaguely recognized the outline of her flute digging into her shoulder and came to the hazy understanding of how Yuwen Yue had endured the same treatment on their engagement night with no complaint.

"I love you, Xe'er," he grated into her mouth before kissing it again. "Can you feel it?"

"I feel it," she whispered some time later. "I'm sorry."

"Oh, Xe'er, I'm sorry, too. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

He punctuated each apology with a kiss to a different part of her face. She'd never seen him like this, and she had no idea of what to do with him. Before she knew it, she found herself on her bed, Yuwen Yue pulling her close and holding her to himself. Xing'er settled into her favorite position with a hearty sniffle, tilting her head back and kissing Yuwen Yue under his jaw before resting her cheek against his chest and closing her eyes.

"In my second meeting with the _tai fu ren_ , she told me what happened when Yuwen Xi came for my mother," he whispered.

"Ah?" Xing'er blurted, her eyes popping open in shock. "Yuwen Yue, you don't have to-"

Her mouth was unceremoniously covered with a masculine hand, which she kissed softly.

"She told me that my mother tried to fight back, but that she simply lacked the knowledge or the strength to fend him off. That's why..."

Xing'er kissed his hand again, tears still streaming down her cheeks. She gently pulled the hand off her mouth and whispered, "I know, Yuwen Yue. I know. I'm sorry."

And she did know. She understood the real purpose behind all of those hard training sessions, all of his harsh criticisms, and all of his efforts to mold her into a _da fu ren_ who would be able to not only run his household but defend it as well. She understood the difficulty he typically had with expressing his feelings aloud and realized how special tonight had been in terms of openness and honesty. Loathe as she was to leave her favorite position, she wanted to do something special for Yuwen Yue, too.

Xing'er reluctantly pulled herself out of Yuwen Yue's embrace, ignoring his look of hurt confusion as she pushed him up into a sitting position. She scooted behind him and pulled him back down, surprised when he actually rested his back on her lap and his head in the crook of her arm. Her free hand moved back to his face and caressed his jawline, lightly tracing it all the way around. She stared down at him in awe as he allowed her to trace the rest of his face, his eyebrows, cheekbones, nose, and mouth all receiving equal attention.

 _You definitely haven't spent more time tracing his lips than everything else,_ her snide voice said.

Her response was to mentally stick out her tongue at that part of her mind while bending her head towards Yuwen Yue's and using her tongue in a much more satisfactory manner for both of them. When she finally pulled back from the kiss, she looked down at her beloved and nearly gasped at the open, naked love she saw shining from his eyes. He'd never looked at her with such vulnerability or adoration, and she lost track of how much time they spent gazing at one another.

Eventually, he started recounting more of his meeting with the _tai fu ren_ , and this time, her hand was the one used to silence a moving mouth.

"We can talk about this later when we've both had some rest," she murmured. "I don't need to know the details; I just don't want you to shut me out."

Yuwen Yue looked up at her tenderly for a few moments before some of his arrogant mischievousness filled his gaze again.

"I've been giving our current problem a great deal of thought, Xing'er, and I think I know how to solve it."

"What? How?"

"Well, I keep walking to your room and being afraid of finding your bed empty. This time it was empty. Logically speaking, what should we do about that?"

"You should stop putting me in situations where you think my bed might be empty?"

"I want to permanently put you in a situation where your bed will never be empty, X'er," he rasped, giving her an unmistakable look of passion.

"Oh," she whispered as her breath caught in her throat.

"You make that sound on purpose just to torment me, X'er," he grated.

She traced his eyebrows again as she tried to regain her composure.

"I think your idea has merits, but we've already discussed this problem and agreed upon this solution," Xing'er said as professionally as she could while her beloved was lying in her lap.

"But then you left," Yuwen Yue said, his voice breaking slightly on that last word before continuing, "leading me to believe that you no longer agreed with this solution."

"Mm."

"So what do you have to say about us implementing this solution as soon as possible, Xe'er?"

"I say...Marry me, Yuwen Yue," Xing'er said, looking down at the man she loved with an open, adoring gaze of her own.

This time, he pulled Xing'er's head down for a kiss that lasted just long enough to leave her gasping for air without fully satisfying her desires. Yuwen Yue brought the hand holding the small flute between them, giving Xing'er another potent stare. More tears formed in her eyes as she held out her own hand in anticipation of what she knew would happen next.

"Yes, Xe'er," he whispered as he placed the flute in Xing'er's hand where it belonged before closing her fingers gently over it. "I'll marry you."

Yuwen Yue's kiss was possessive, giving Xing'er the sense that he was reclaiming her as his woman. Xing'er, of course, had no objection to the notion and couldn't believe that a night that had started off so horribly had resolved itself so wonderfully. Yuwen Yue broke the kiss, taking the opportunity to gaze up at Xing'er with that gorgeously open expression on his face.

 _He's so beautiful,_ Xing'er idly thought as she traced his jawline again. She knew she'd never grow tired of doing so.

Her beloved started shifting around on her lap, startling her as she tried to figure out what he was doing. With a few swift but gentle motions, he freed Xing'er's arm and rested his head in her lap. His eyes glinted with mischief again as he obviously took amusement from her confusion, but he closed them and settled down with an expression of perfect contentment.

"Play for me, Xe'er," he whispered, peace filling his face for the first time in weeks.

Xing'er caressed his face one more time before playing the opening notes of a sweet, simple lullaby that had never failed to relax her beloved before. As the soft, comforting tune wended its way around them, Xing'er felt a loosening of the tension that had been keeping them prisoner since the night that Yuwen Xi had died. She heard the Cangwu bird pick up the tune from somewhere outside, and she smiled, knowing that her beloved's bird was telling all of Yuwen Yue's people—all of her people—that the battle had ended and the triage had begun.

* * *

AN: Whew! I'm glad that's over with, and I'll bet many of you are as well. I know that this story is going to take many twists and turns of which I am still unaware, but I can assure you that I have no intentions of purposefully separating XingYue—at least not due to a fight or argument, and not for any significant length of time. Next chapter: Fallout/transition chapter. Next next chapter: Xiao Ce and Xia Xia shenanigans. Next next chapter: More XC/XC shenanigans. Next next next chapter: ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


	14. Chapter 14

AN: Guys...Guys...I swear on the moon and the stars that I didn't anticipate for this chapter to take as long to opening section to go where it did. In fact, I wanted XingYue to argue a bit more (not to fight; just to disagree/raise their voices a bit) and then transition into the second scene, but they told me in no uncertain terms that they wanted to engage in more pleasurable activities instead, so I had to rewrite everything in my head. This took longer than anticipated—and longer than it should have done. I got out of the habit of writing, couldn't figure out how I wanted the upcoming Xiao Ce arc to go, my grandfather passed away, and then… ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯ . For whatever reason, I just...didn't want to write, so I didn't. And then I did. I hope you enjoy this wrap-up/transition chapter; His Highness, the Crown Prince of Liang and his incomparably lovely Xia Xia should be condescending to grace Qing Shan Yuan with their presence next chapter.

* * *

As much as Yuwen Yue was looking forward to engaging in more...strenuous activities with Xing'er once she was his wife, he knew that he would never tire of experiencing peaceful, quiet moments like this one. Both he and his beloved were currently curled up together in their underrobes in Xing'er's bed after having managed to get a couple of hours of sleep. Although his exhaustion still nagged at him, he felt that the rest he'd just gotten had been the soundest he'd experienced in weeks.

The light of early morning filtered into the room, and the bustle of life at Qing Shan Yuan faintly intruded into their sanctuary. Xing'er's head was pillowed on his shoulder, and much of her chest was pressed against his in boneless abandon. One of her arms was firmly wrapped around his middle, and her legs were fortunately nowhere near the physical evidence of just how much he was enjoying Xing'er's present position.

He knew that, soon enough, Xing'er would awaken and they'd have to have a conversation that would likely be much less pleasant than his current situation. Xing'er's blissful expression would give way to a pensive frown, which would likely be followed by arguments, recriminations, and defensive posturing on both sides. His arm tightened around his beloved instinctively as he remembered the realization that had hit him so forcefully the moment that Xing'er had walked through that door and confronted him.

 _I would do anything—absolutely anything—to keep her at my side,_ he'd thought. His dismay at this realization that shouldn't have shocked him so deeply had caused him to temporarily retreat behind his typical arrogant, reserved mask.

His resolve to make her his wife was even stronger now that they'd renewed their commitment to one another and that Xing'er was nestled in his arms where she belonged.

 _Not exactly where she belongs,_ he mused as he noted their surroundings again. _We're in the wrong bedroom—and the wrong bed. I'm tired of waiting to become one with her, and I'm not willing to waste any more time mourning and appeasing the unworthy._

As if hearing his thoughts, his beloved began to stir as the morning light continued to brighten. She was normally awake by now, but he knew that the recent past had exhausted her. Yuwen Yue couldn't stop a small smile from twitching his lips briefly as she tightened her arm around his middle for a moment and breathed deeply.

"Good dream," she murmured, her sleepy smile widening.

His heart panged for his beloved as he realized that she likely thought herself to be alone in her bed right now—or, perhaps, on the way to Yanbei. The realizations that Xing'er had once again chosen him over other men and that she'd just admitted to dreaming about him drew his lips into a full-blown smirk. Unable to help himself, he started slowly caressing Xing'er's back under the covers. He knew that this would wake Xing'er up, but he couldn't pass up the opportunity to caress his beloved—especially given the events of the past week.

A small frown marred Xing'er's beautiful face as it wrinkled in confusion.

"Long dream," she murmured, inhaling again in a more deliberate fashion.

Her eyes popped open and looked up at him with comical roundness; he wondered if she'd ever wake up in bed with him without seeming shocked and dismayed at the prospect—and the implications. Of course, he enjoyed the adorable confusion on her face, but he'd never tell her so lest she try to awaken with more dignity.

Memories of a few hours ago obviously returned to Xing'er, causing her gaze to fill with shame and trepidation before she returned her head to Yuwen Yue's chest. After a moment, her lips pressed a soft kiss to the underside of his jaw, and her arm squeezed him once before relaxing. A small sniffle came from his beloved, so he placed a kiss of his own on the top of her head. They were both stalling for time, but Yuwen Yue couldn't bring himself to regret any moment spent with Xing'er in his arms.

"I almost lost you," he whispered, not meaning to speak aloud.

Xing'er looked up at him in surprise, and he instinctively scowled at having been so open. He dropped the frown immediately, though, vowing to work on being more honest and tender with the woman who would soon be his _da fu ren_.

"Yuwen Yue-"

"I almost lost you, X'er," he repeated, giving her one of his piercing stares. "I can't lose you, X'er."

Her eyes filled with shame again before turning back towards his chest.

"I wish I'd have known that you felt that way before I left," she said softly.

"Would knowing have made that much of a difference, Xing'er? I know you were angry at me about multiple things."

"Of course it would've mattered!" she blurted, raising her eyes back to his defiantly and pushing herself up on his chest so that she could scowl down at him. "I only left because I thought you didn't want to marry me anymore!"

"But you only overheard my conversation with my grandfather right before you left, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said, unwilling to allow Xing'er to lie to him—or herself. "Surely you'd planned to leave me well before last night."

"During our big argument, you told me that I would never be a certain kind of wife—implying that I would never be _your_ wife. Then you told me that meeting your father had been premature—also implying that I would never be your wife. What was I supposed to think?"

"You were supposed to think that I was angry at the time but that we could reconcile later."

"You did a great job of reconciliation, Yuwen Yue," Xing'er muttered, her position on his chest showing off her blazing eyes and hard-yet-soft body to excellent effect.

Unable to resist temptation, Yuwen Yue pulled her back down towards himself and kissed her passionately. Xing'er gave a blurt of shock before returning the kiss with equal measure. There was a harshness to her embrace, but it only served to fire Yuwen Yue's blood all the more.

"I was trying to be serious, Yuwen Yue," she said, looking down at him with that dazed look he loved so much and had missed greatly.

"Was that not serious enough for you, Xing'er?" he asked before repeating his previous course of action.

"Yuwen Yue! You-!"

"You said that you didn't like my previous methods of reconciliation, so I decided to try a different tactic. Did you like this one better?"

Yuwen Yue never saw Xing'er move, but he had no trouble instinctively returning the passionate kiss that she gave him. Once again, his body was begging him to act in ways his mind knew were inappropriate, but the warm weight of Xing'er pressed against his chest and lips was robbing him of rational thought.

She broke the kiss and smirked down at him before saying, "You seemed to still be worried that I'm going to leave you, so I decided to try a different tactic to convince you otherwise. Did it work?"

This time, Yuwen Yue took Xing'er by surprise as he flipped her over on her back, pinned her beneath himself, and proceeded to demonstrate his approval of her method of reassurance. His ability to think of their actions in such rational terminology rapidly dissipated, however, as his hand reached for the tie of Xing'er's underrobes and his lips began to kiss their way down her neck and towards the currently-covered skin that would soon be bared to him.

A sudden, fierce desire to claim her as his so that she could never leave him rose up within, and he found himself struggling to exercise that iron control he'd had for most of his life. He lost himself in the arms of his beloved, realizing dimly that his own underrobes had been partially discarded by Xing'er's clever hands.

Yuwen Yue captured her lips in another searing kiss before pulling back slightly and looking into her eyes. The love and desire he saw in them almost pushed him completely over the edge again, but the guilt and shame mixed in with the positive emotions doused his ardor and brought him back to his senses.

Before he could change his mind, he pushed down on the mattress on either side of Xing'er and vaulted over her, retying his underrobes with his back to the bed. He picked up the robe he'd worn yesterday and pulled it on as well, refocusing his mind in the few moments he needed to make himself presentable.

"What's wrong, Yuwen Yue?" Xing'er asked in confusion as she rolled over on her side and faced him.

The view she presented to him almost caused him to lose control again, but his love for Xing'er—and his Yuwen stubbornness—prevailed. He strode back to the bed and sat down, tying Xing'er's underrobes closed with what he hoped was an open, compassionate expression. Yuwen Yue gave her a tender but brief kiss for good measure, not wanting to foster any misunderstandings between them.

"When I finally become one with you, X'er, we'll be married- and we won't be acting out of fear or guilt."

"Oh."

Yuwen Yue barely resisted the urge to sigh.

"I'm sorry, Yuwen Yue. I don't know what else to say. I don't care much for ceremonies. I love you and want to be with you. I don't want you to think I'm going to leave you, and I'm sorry for trying to leave you. So I figured-"

He silenced her with another kiss, finally breaking it to stand up from the bed and hold out his hand to her. She took it without hesitation, allowing him to pull her to her feet. Xing'er looked up at him in awkward confusion before asking, "What are we going to do, Yuwen Yue?"

"First, Xing'er, you're going to put on those lovely dark blue robes I gave you just before everything fell apart," he said, walking over to her wardrobe and pulling out said garments. "Then we're going to go to _our_ rooms, eat breakfast at _our_ table, and plan _our_ wedding. Does that sound agreeable, Xing'er?"

"Mm."

Yuwen Yue was going to tease her about her lack of response, but he found his concentration—and control—slipping again as his eyes met hers while he was tying her blue robes closed for her. He gave into temptation and kissed her again, thankful that they were far enough away from her bed to not fall back into it so easily.

His conclusion was called into question as the bed seemed to materialize right behind the backs of Xing'er's legs, and he hazily wondered how it had managed to move across the room on its own. The ridiculousness of the thought brought him back to reality, and he broke the kiss before he could do something that they'd both regret in the long-term if not the short-term.

"W-we should probably leave," Xing'er said, attempting to be nonchalant. "I'm really hungry."

Her stomach chose that moment to rumble, and he smirked at her before holding out his hand.

"Come," he said in his most compelling voice just because he knew how much she liked him doing so. "Let's go to our rooms so I can satisfy your hunger."

Xing'er blushed in a way that almost put them right back in bed. Before he could make a move, however, she grasped his sleeve before impishly saying with an innocent face, "Xing'er will obey."

 _Breakfast can't come quickly enough,_ Yuwen Yue thought as he resolutely turned his back on the inviting bed and escorted Xing'er to the door.

* * *

"How did you manage to mess things up this badly, you moronic Yuwen?" the Grand Concubine asked Yuwen Yue stridently.

Both of the idiots currently seated at her table wisely—or foolishly, depending on one's perspective—elected to remain silent as she continued to rant at them.

"Don't get me wrong: I've seen Yuwen males make significantly worse decisions than your most recent ones, but the past week ranks highly on the list of disastrous Yuwen mistakes I've had the pleasure to witness. Those Third Branch devils must have been laughing their ugly faces off at the complete and utter mess that you were making of your life. How did you almost manage to lose the best thing that's ever happened to you in your miserable life? That woman loves you utterly and completely, and you were willing to throw her love away like my late, less-than-lamented husband would've discarded his latest victim."

Xing'er's eyes flashed in anger at such an insult to the buffoon whom she'd obviously forgiven, but she wisely—or foolishly, depending on one's perspective—decided to put some breakfast in her mouth rather than to let vitriolic words come out of it.

 _Maybe there's hope for her yet,_ the _tai fu ren_ mused as she began her next salvo.

"I'm quite impressed, really," the Grand Concubine said, pausing for effect as she sipped at her cup of morning tea. "I didn't think you had the capacity for idiocy within you that others of your line have been blessed to possess. I thought you were different, you see. I actually believed you to be competent, honorable, sensible, and an entire host of other positive characteristics that have always been foreign to all other Yuwen men of my unfortunate acquaintance. But you're not, are you?"

To her frustration, Yuwen Yue continued to stare at her wordlessly with that insufferable Yuwen stoic arrogance. She'd brought him and his woman into her chambers for breakfast in order to get a rise out of him and to make him see reason, but he'd turned aside all of her insults as if she were an enemy spymaster that was determined to break his resolve.

 _I may not be your enemy, but I am resolved to break your silence._

"You're just like _them_ ," she said with a sneer. "You may have more honor—which is not a particularly difficult feat—but you were still just as willing to murder Xing'er and cast her off as if she were another poor, dead iron bell."

Xing'er tried to stand up after this second insult, fury blazing in the lines of her body and those expressive eyes that the _tai fu ren_ knew had ensnared more than one man. Yuwen Yue calmed her with the single touch of a hand, however, his own face never losing its tranquility. He slowly slid his hand down Xing'er's arm and grasped her hand in his, turning his head towards the woman at his side. Xing'er's burning eyes left the _tai fu ren's_ and came to rest briefly on Yuwen Yue's, their expression leaving the Grand Concubine with no doubt of her feelings for the idiotic spymaster—nor his for her, for that matter.

 _At least this situation can be salvaged, but I won't let either of them get away without confronting their own faults—with a bit of help from me, of course._

"You have the chance to beat them, Yuwen Yue," she said in a softer yet firm voice. "You have the chance to marry one of the most extraordinary young women I've ever had the pleasure to meet under unorthodox circumstances. You had all of this within your grasp, and yet you almost drove her away with your...with your...Yuwenness!"

The bitterness of the past suffused her voice as she brought up another unsavory topic.

"According to my sources, even that spineless worm of a man whom you call 'Father' tried to tell you that you were wrong, but you refused to listen to him. Not that I can blame you for not wanting to heed the words of a fool, but even a moron can be right a few times in his life. But, no. You felt no need to listen to him or anyone else. After all, you are Yuwen Yue, the leader of the Eyes of God, the heir of all of the Yuwen holdings, the wielder of Po Yue Jian, the conqueror of the Afterlife Camp, and the master of all you survey whenever you're looking down at the rest of us from that pavilion of yours. How many of those fancy titles mean more to you than 'Xing'er's husband'? At this rate, that's a title you'll never have. At least I won't have to worry about vacating these lovely _da fu ren's_ quarters since you likely won't be filling them with a bride any time soon!"

"I regret to inform you that you'll have to vacate these rooms much sooner than anticipated, _tai fu ren_ ," Yuwen Yue said with a slight mischievous twinkle in his eyes that made her want to reach across the table and claw them out. "Xing'er and I have, indeed, settled our differences, and she has once again agreed to marry me—soon."

"Is this true, Xing'er?"

"Mm," Xing'er agreed, her gaze much less tranquil and amused than that of her supposed fiance.

"Then you're an idiot, too—although whether for leaving or returning, I'm not sure. Maybe both. But you're just as moronic as your so-called fiance—and not in a good way, either."

Instead of blazing, Xing'er's eyes turned cold. The Grand Concubine noticed Yuwen Yue's grip on Xing'er's hand tighten, and she was satisfied that the results of this little meeting she'd orchestrated with the two lovers would bear the fruit she desired. Xing'er would take her medicine like her stoic fiance had and would use it to become stronger and wiser.

 _Or she'll use it as an impetus for gaining vengeance on me at a later date,_ the Grand Concubine acknowledged.

"You aspire to be the _da fu ren_ of a noble house, yet you ran away from adversity like a common iron bell. Instead of fighting for your man—or at least fighting _with_ your man one last time before telling him to his face you were walking out on him—you snuck out in the middle of the night with your sisters like a trio of runaway slaves. You managed to misinterpret the entire situation, spend time with that gutless wonder of a general behind Yuwen Yue's back, drag Yuwen Yue's most loyal people into this mess and somehow get them to lie for you, and entertain the servants endlessly with a fresh smorgasbord of gossip. Congratulations, Xing'er. I'm quite impressed with your display of willful ineptitude."

For a brief moment, the Grand Concubine thought that Xing'er was going to try to defend herself, but the shame and regret mingled with the expected anger in her eyes told the _tai fu ren_ that the young woman had already grasped the wrongness of her actions.

"The _tai fu ren_ is wise and perceptive," Xing'er murmured with chilly civility, repeating the words she'd spoken the night they'd met at Hong Shan Yuan.

"Of course I am," she said dismissively. "I've experienced more Yuwen idiocy and depravity than anyone else who's still living. I've earned my wisdom and perception the hard way—and with no one to comfort me after the monsters had come. I deliberately told Yuwen Yue all of those terrible things that happened to his mother in the hopes that he would demonstrate his difference from his ancestors and turn towards you instead of away from you, but instead he had to prove his lineage."

The Grand Concubine could tell that Xing'er agreed with her, but the woman refused to take the bait and insult Yuwen Yue. The _tai fu ren_ was both reassured and disappointed.

"Yuwen Yue was under a great deal of stress," Xing'er said diplomatically. "I wasn't at my best, either."

"No, you weren't," the _tai fu ren_ agreed. "In fact, from what I've heard from my sources, the only person who behaved like a mature adult in all of this is that naive puppy of a prince you foisted off on me because he somehow managed to unravel your brilliant scheme in a week. That snot-nosed, wet-behind-the-ears, spoiled brat of a royal actually came out of this situation smelling like a rose—or a tulip, as the case may be."

"I can see that your...sources are good at lurking outside of doors," Yuwen Yue said wryly. "I'm so glad to have received my reward for allowing you to keep them as your...deaf and mute servants."

"How else am I supposed to keep up with all of the idiocy going on around here? I wouldn't need such sources if the inhabitants of this place had more common sense!"

Yuwen Yue gave her another aloof, arrogant smirk, making her wonder for the thousandth time how Xing'er could stand to be in the same room with him, much less married to him. Her eyes turned towards the young lady, and she was disgusted to note the desire in her eyes as Xing'er looked up at the spymaster.

 _Xing'er actually thinks that expression is...attractive! I'm surrounded by idiots!_

"I'm surrounded by idiots," she muttered, her words mirroring her thoughts. "That's the only conclusion I can draw. I'm surrounded by complete and utter morons."

The spymaster's stare continued unabated, and Xing'er's face was arranged in an insolently innocent expression that was just as punchable as her fiance's.

"Well?!" she blurted, startling Xing'er if not Yuwen Yue. "What are you still doing here? Go away! Resolve things between you! TALK! If my...sources come back in here and tell me that they've heard anything but heart-to-heart talking, flute-playing, and kissing coming from inside of your rooms, I'm going to send a note to Princess Chun'er telling her that you're all dying to help Yuan Song plan her birthday party and that you have some great ideas you would love to share with her as soon as possible!"

"Should you do so, we'll be sure to inform the princess of the wise, perceptive woman from which we got all of our best ideas," Xing'er said, her face full of insincere deference.

The _tai fu ren_ couldn't help but be amused at the girl's cheek, but the look of desire on the spymaster's face in reaction to Xing'er's expression squelched her good humor.

"Talking. Flute-playing. Kissing. That's it! Don't test my patience!"

"Could Xing'er give me a shave, _tai fu ren_?" Yuwen Yue asked with glittering eyes.

"Mm," Xing'er agreed, taking a hand and suggestively running its palm along one of Yuwen Yue's cheeks. "You're right: You _do_ need a shave."

Only the fact that aging Grand Concubines weren't supposed to roll their eyes in front of inferior company stopped her from doing so.

"Get out of here before you do something I don't want to see," the _tai fu ren_ said, waving a thin, bangled arm towards the doors.

They bowed and left quickly, exchanging heated gazes as they went.

"Idiots," she muttered again as her veiled girls entered through the open door to attend her. "Am I ever going to be surrounded by anything other than complete, utter idiots?"

Her "deaf and mute" servants knew better than to respond.

* * *

"I'm sorry I left you, Yuwen Yue," Xing'er said softly, once again running a hand along Yuwen Yue's jawline.

He stared at her silently from his own position on what he'd insisted on calling _their_ bed, his expression neither condemning nor encouraging her. They'd been stretched out side by side on top of the covers for a few minutes and had been content to gaze into each other's eyes in amicable silence until Xing'er had felt compelled to make her confession.

"I know I've already apologized for leaving you, Yuwen Yue, but I wanted to say it again. I'm sorry for leaving you. I'll never leave you again. Never. Well, at least not out of anger. I might have to leave you during a battle if we get separated. You might have to leave me for business, and you might have to send me on missions without you. And then there's the possibility of death or dismember-"

Yuwen Yue silenced Xing'er with a tender kiss, wordlessly accepting her apology with what was fast becoming Xing'er's favorite method of him doing so. He stared into her eyes for a few moments after pulling back from the kiss before issuing his own apology.

"I'm sorry for driving you away, X'er," he murmured. "I'm sorry for making you think I didn't want to marry you anymore. I'm sorry for shutting you out of my life. I'm sorry for not treating you with the respect you deserve as my future _da fu ren_. I'm going to do my best to give you your proper place in my life for the rest of our days."

Xing'er accepted his apology with a kiss of her own.

"I'm sorry for pressuring you to explain yourself to me even though I could see you didn't want to tell me what was bothering you. I don't have much experience with relationships—at least not that I can remember, anyway. I've always been able to get my sisters to tell me the truth by pressuring them until they break, so I tried the same tactics on you. I promise to do a better job of giving you your space in the future."

"No, X'er," Yuwen Yue rasped after kissing her again. "I'm going to let you into my life, remember? You were right to try to take care of me as only a wife can do. I was wrong to push you away. I'll never...X'er...You know that my job involves many secrets—most of which I'll never be able to tell you. I promise to always try to tell you those secrets I can safely share with you without compromising our security."

"I meant what I said last night, Yuwen Yue," Xing'er said, kissing him for emphasis. "I never cared about the details of your visit to the _tai fu ren_ ; all I wanted was for you to confide in me about your feelings. I will, of course, listen to anything you want to tell me about those conversations, but all I ask is that you give me the chance to comfort you after one of those talks has drained you emotionally."

Her beloved pulled her into his embrace and once again demonstrated his approval of her statement. He stared at her for a few more moments as if he were weighing his next words carefully.

"I'm sorry for all of those times in the past when I treated you so poorly for my own amusement—or because I wanted to deny the powerful feelings you caused to form within me. I won't apologize for the harshness I had to use to train you and to curb your impetuous, rash tendencies, but I promise to never employ such tactics in the future unless absolutely necessary."

Xing'er kissed him in acceptance before rendering another apology.

"I'm sorry for comparing you to Yuwen Huai," she said, caressing his face again. "In many ways, that was the worst thing I said to you. You're nothing like him."

"He certainly couldn't kiss as well as I can," Yuwen Yue said with a smirk before demonstrating.

"Fortunately, I wouldn't know," Xing'er murmured once she'd caught her breath.

"X'er, about my father..." Yuwen Yue said, fidgeting on the bed in an endearingly awkward way. "X'er, I won't apologize for being angry about you going behind my back in order to meet with my father, but I _will_ apologize for not understanding why you wanted to get to know him. All I could see was the bitterness of the past, and I lashed out accordingly. In the future, I won't keep you from getting to know him better. In fact, I'm going to try to at least establish a polite relationship with him myself."

The big grin that formed on Xing'er's face was echoed in a smaller counterpart on Yuwen Yue's own face. She couldn't help but kiss him after such an announcement; he didn't seem to be bothered by her decision in the slightest.

"I also won't apologize for feeling the need to escape Qing Shan Yuan or to explore such an interesting place as Hei Shan Yuan. Apologizing for turning down an invitation to dine with my powerful future father-in-law would also be ridiculous, but..."

Xing'er looked down at the covers between them, shame filling her face again. Yuwen Yue pulled her close in comfort, his hand making comforting circles on her back once again as she gathered her thoughts.

"I'm ashamed of the way I felt as I sat there talking to him," she murmured. "True, I enjoyed his war stories; your father can spin a tale better than most. I also delighted in being with Meng Feng and Yue Qi in such an informal way. But I can't deny that...I can't pretend that I didn't know that your eventual discovery of what we'd done would hurt you, Yuwen Yue. I can't pretend that I didn't want to hurt you. Because I did want to hurt you. I wanted you to know the pain of being excluded by the people you loved just as I felt that you'd done to me. I'm sorry, Yuwen Yue. I'm so sorry."

Her beloved gently tipped her head back and kissed her tenderly, accepting her apology without hesitation.

"Oh, X'er," he rasped before kissing her one more time, "I'm not innocent in that regard, either. Why do you think I punished Yue Qi and Meng Feng? While I felt the need to remind them that I was in charge, I mostly just wanted you to know that people you cared about were being punished because of your actions. I'm sorry, X'er."

She reassured the man she loved that his apology was accepted and made another of her own.

"I'm sorry that my impetuous nature led me to make so many unfortunate decisions. Many of the memories I have—even the ones from when I was a child—involve me running for my life, reacting to a threat, or having to solve a crisis almost instantly. I can't...Yuwen Yue, I wish I could promise that I won't let that side of me make decisions anymore, but you know that I can't. That's too much a part of who I am, and I would already be dead were it not for my instincts. All I can promise is to do the best I can to use more logic and reason when making a decision."

"I'll help you, X'er," Yuwen Yue said with less arrogance than such a proclamation would've produced in the past. "I'll do my best to make our home a place that doesn't require those types of decisions from you."

"We're spies, Yuwen Yue," Xing'er said with a small smile. "We have to make those types of decisions all the time."

"But you won't have to make them alone," her beloved vowed as he pulled her even closer.

Xing'er responded with the most logical reply she could think of: a kiss. Her response didn't seem to inspire rationality in her fiance, however, and she soon found herself on her back beneath him again with his lips on hers. This time, Xing'er was the one who pushed Yuwen Yue away and vaulted herself off of the bed.

"See, Yuwen Yue?" Xing'er said with her most innocent expression. "Xing'er is already making more logical decisions. Do you approve?"

Yuwen Yue gave her a potent look that made her resolve falter.

"I thought you were going to help me to make good decisions, Yuwen Yue."

"How would coming back to our bed be a bad decision, X'er?"

"We're not married yet, Yuwen Yue."

"That's a situation we're going to remedy in short order."

"Mm. But you should probably shave first."

Yuwen Yue held his passionate gaze for a moment longer before getting out of the bed. He sat down at the table and looked at Xing'er expectantly, so she went over to his shelves and brought the shaving razors back with her. She picked up the one she always used and placed it at his throat, relishing as always the intense feelings that rose up between them as she did so.

Xing'er braced herself for Yuwen Yue to make some sort of comment designed to discompose her, but the first rasp of the blade on skin passed wordlessly. She allowed herself to lose herself in his gaze for a few moments as she readied the blade for another pass, but she promptly returned to her shaving duties.

"So when are we getting married, Xing'er?" Yuwen Yue asked nonchalantly as Xing'er replaced the blade at his throat a third time.

"Ah?!" she asked, flinching but managing to control the razor. "Yuwen Yue! You-! One of these days, my hand is going to slip!"

"And what a tragic day that will be for both of us, Xing'er," he replied with a knowing look. "So when are we getting married?"

"Ah...well...that is to say...soon?"

"Your eloquence and enthusiasm are heart-warming, Xing'er."

"You took me by surprise, Yuwen Yue! I'm concentrating on not slitting your throat, and you're asking me deliberately provocative questions. Forgive me for not being able to answer your question when we haven't even consulted anyone about the auspicious dates yet."

"Mm. Yes. That is a problem. Xing'er, tell me honestly: Do you really expect our marriage to be particularly...lucky?"

"Ah?"

"Do you really think that our wedding date will have any bearing whatsoever on the quality of our marriage?"

"Mm. I see your point, Yuwen Yue. No, I don't think our marriage will be lucky. You and I are not lucky people, after all. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if both of us died young in horrible ways. We're both stubborn and will probably argue a lot. I'm rash and impulsive; you're arrogant and aloof. We'll probably spend half of our lives misunderstanding each other and the other half making up for said misunderstandings."

"Thank you for that ringing endorsement of our upcoming marriage, Xing'er."

"Well, you did ask, Yuwen Yue," Xing'er replied as she continued to shave her fiance. After a pause, she asked, "Why did you ask me that question? What did you mean by it?"

"I simply wanted to establish that you didn't believe that our picking a specific day to get married would help or hurt us in any way. In fact, I would even go so far as to say that we can get married any time we want and the results will be exactly the same."

"Mm," Xing'er grunted in agreement. "That makes sense."

"So when are we getting married, Xing'er?"

She managed to hold in her sigh of frustration, but she knew that Yuwen Yue would have that arrogant smirk on his face that she'd be torn between slapping and kissing off if she looked at him.

"I don't know, Yuwen Yue. After all, we still have to buy many things for our wedding. Firecrackers, red decorations, our red robes..."

Yuwen Yue fidgeted slightly, and Xing'er looked up in time to catch an oddly insecure look in his eyes.

"What? Did I say something wrong? We have to have all of those things, don't we?"

"Of course, Xing'er. But I already bought them."

"What? All of them?"

"Yes."

"Firecrackers?"

"Yes."

"Red decorations?"

"Yes."

"Food and drink?"

"Yes."

"A palanquin?"

"Yes."

"Even our robes?"

Yuwen Yue leveled another intense gaze at her, so she set the razor down and looked down at him in question. He stood up and walked over to his wardrobe, opening it and removing a beautiful red robe that she knew would fit her perfectly as had every other item of clothing he'd ever given her. She looked at him in wonder, many questions vying for utterance.

"How long?" she whispered.

"Since I bought you the robes you're wearing, X'er," he murmured.

"Just before everything went so wrong," she said, tears forming in her eyes. "And yours?"

He replaced her robe and showed her his own, his face forming an expression that seemed almost reverent.

"Oh, Yuwen Yue. I'm so sorry."

"No more apologies, X'er," he rasped as he returned his robe to the safety of his—their—wardrobe. "We're beyond the point of apology now. When are we getting married, X'er?"

Before she could answer, his lips descended on hers again, robbing her of sensible thought for an indeterminate amount of time.

"We're getting married soon, aren't we, X'er?"

"Yes, Yuwen Yue," she managed to say before he kissed her again. "Soon."

"When?"

"Whenever...whenever you want, Yuwen Yue."

"That's the answer I wanted, X'er."

"I'm...I'm glad to hear it, Yuwen Yue. But we should probably wait until after I've finished shaving you."

His eyes glinted with humor as he looked down at her, and Xing'er wistfully wondered if she'd ever get to hear her beloved laugh. She instinctively knew that the sound of his laughter would be wonderful, but she had no idea what she would have to do to cause him to display his mirth in such a way.

"I think we'll have to wait at least a bit longer than that, Xing'er," he said, sitting back down at the table.

She wordlessly resumed her attentions to his face, efficiently removing all traces of stubble from that gorgeous jawline that she wanted to run her hands over endlessly. It was so hard, yet so soft. She couldn't wait until she was finished and she could use the excuse of rubbing away the freshly-shaven hair from his face. Xing'er could almost feel the smoothness of his skin beneath her thumbs as she envisioned caressing his cheeks…

"Nobody has ever given me such...thorough shaves as you do, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said with dry amusement.

Xing'er felt herself blush as she realized that she'd been shaving the same patch of skin for the past several moments. She quickly set the blade down in its place and took Yuwen Yue's face in her hands, indulging in the fulfillment of her recent fantasies. His eyes darkened in appreciation as he, too, seemed to revel in the contact.

The tension built between them again as she slowly and gently caressed his jawline and cheeks. They'd kissed many times this morning, but this buildup of emotion was different somehow. Perhaps their conversation about marriage had caused the upswelling of feelings, or maybe there was something elemental about holding his life in her hands as she shaved him.

 _Or maybe I simply want to bring this shave to the conclusion that you wanted to bring the last one to before I was so rudely interrupted by Yue Qi and Yuan Song,_ she reflected as she tilted his head back towards hers.

Yuwen Yue followed her lead willingly, his eyes darkening further as he seemed equally eager to end this shave properly. Xing'er slowly lowered her own face towards his, secure in the assurance that nothing and no one would disturb them this time.

"Trouble is coming! Trouble is coming! Trouble is coming!"

Xing'er looked up at the parrot in disbelief, having forgotten about his presence due to her complete absorption in Yuwen Yue. She wanted to fuss at the bird for the interruption, but she could tell from his demeanor that he was sincerely regretful about the situation. Footsteps sounded nearby, and the familiarity of their cadence had them all looking at each other in wide-eyed disbelief.

"Not this time," Xing'er muttered, bringing her mouth down on Yuwen Yue's in a fiercely passionate and defiant kiss.

She pulled away as the footsteps stopped before their door, but before she could register that anything unusual was happening, Yuwen Yue had pulled her down onto his lap and taken complete control of the kiss. Xing'er was straddling his lap, and Yuwen Yue's tongue was imprinting itself on the inside of her mouth. A vague sense of alarm filled her as she heard the doors begin to open, but a few deft moves by her beloved had their hair and clothing—and Xing'er herself—straightened as Yue Qi stepped into the room.

Xing'er knew without looking up at her beloved from her place on his lap that he likely looked pristine and in control while she probably appeared as if she'd just been thoroughly kissed by her fiance. She couldn't bring herself to feel any embarrassment about that fact as Yuan Song walked into the room after Yue Jiu announced him.

* * *

Yuan Song knew that he'd always remember the scene that met his eyes as he walked through the door of Yuwen Yue's rooms. Xing'er was perched on the spymaster's lap and was looking up at him with an expression of affectionate exasperation. Yuwen Yue looked as placid as ever—except for his swollen lips and mischievous eyes that told a tale of their own. The prince suspected that Xing'er's position on Yuwen Yue's lap was not entirely voluntary, but he also saw no evidence that she desired to remove herself from the embrace of the man she loved.

A wide grin split Yuan Song's face as he took in the obvious contentment of his two close friends. Even without the physical evidence of at least some of their recent activities, Yuan Song could sense the peace, happiness, and affection radiating from both people. All was obviously well between them, and they were hopefully well on their way to putting the troubles of the past behind them.

"Greetings, Your Highness," Yuwen Yue said with a respectful inclination of his head.

Yuan Song noticed with amusement that the spymaster forewent the hand clasp because both of his arms were still firmly wrapped around Xing'er's waist. She gave as dignified of a clasp and bow as she could given the circumstances, and Yuwen Yue's eyes shimmered with reserved amusement and even a touch of adoration at Xing'er's antics.

He realized with a shock that he suffered no heartache at witnessing the physical and emotional closeness between Yuwen Yue and Xing'er, and he felt a sudden desire to make this conversation as short as possible so that he could engage in more enjoyable pursuits—preferably with a certain former assassin. Never had he felt such a potent wish to put the past firmly where it belonged.

"I woke up this morning and decided to visit my good friends here at Qing Shan Yuan to make sure that everything was as it should be," Yuan Song said after making his own opening greetings.

"As you can tell, everything is normal here, Your Highness," Yuwen Yue said as if Xing'er sitting on his lap were an everyday occurrence.

 _Maybe it_ _will become_ _an everyday occurrence_ _from now on_ _,_ he thought with surprisingly good humor.

"I can see that, Yuwen Yue," Yuan Song said, still grinning. "I don't see a single unusual thing in this room. Do you, Xing'er?"

"Well, there is one unusual thing, Your Highness," Xing'er said with an innocent smile.

"And what would that be?"

"We don't normally keep Yuwen Yue's razors on the table. I had just finished giving him a shave before we were inter...before you came to visit us, Your Highness."

Yuan Song's grin widened even more at Xing'er's mid-word correction; he couldn't resist the opportunity to have a bit of fun with the woman he'd once loved.

"I seem to remember seeing those razors on that table not too long ago. Is this shave a tradition between the two of you, or do you only hold a knife at his throat on special occasions?"

"Yuwen Yue told me that he appreciates the thorough shaves that I give him."

"Is that right, Yuwen Yue?" Yuan Song asked with obvious amusement.

"I appreciate my fiance's skill with blades of all kinds," Yuwen Yue said with an arrogant smirk.

"So you're finally acknowledging that you're engaged? It's about time, Yuwen Yue. When are you getting married?"

"We were just discussing that before you came to visit," Yuwen Yue said.

"Before I interrupted you?"

"You're never an interruption, Your Highness," Xing'er said with false sincerity that, as always, drew a laugh from the prince.

"You're surely going to get married soon, right?"

"Yes," Yuwen Yue said, looking down at the woman on his lap possessively. "Isn't that right, Xing'er?"

"That's right, Yuwen Yue," Xing'er said, gazing up at the spymaster with a look of unguarded love that would've pierced Yuan Song's heart not too long ago.

"That's good, Xing'er. Let me know when you two choose an auspicious date."

"Maybe we'll get married on Princess Chun'er's birthday," Xing'er said with a smile. "Then we'd have our own event to plan for that day."

"You wouldn't dare!" Yuan Song squawked.

"That's not a bad idea, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said blandly. "What could be a better way of honoring the princess than getting married on her special day?"

"But then you wouldn't be able to...attend...Chun'er's...Very funny, you two," Yuan Song said as he realized their plan—and another startling fact. "Yuwen Yue, did you just...joke with me?"

"Of course not, Your Highness," Yuwen Yue said with a straight face. "We could honor the princess by getting married on her birthday and provide extra festivities for the few sober party-goers who remain. But now that I think about it, the princess's birthday is too far away for us to get married."

"It's not that far; it's only a few months away."

"As I said, it's too far away."

Both the prince and Xing'er goggled at Yuwen Yue.

"When you told me you wanted to get married soon, you really meant it, Yuwen Yue," Xing'er said softly.

"Of course I meant it, Xing'er. Would I have said it otherwise?"

"Of course not, Yuwen Yue," Xing'er said sweetly. "You never say anything you don't mean."

Yuwen Yue gave Xing'er a look that was so potent that it made Yuan Song feel like an interloper.

"We're getting married soon, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue murmured without breaking eye contact with his fiance. "In fact, the two-year anniversary of the bedchamber maid competition is in a couple of weeks. We'll get married then, Xing'er."

"Two weeks?" Xing'er yelped. "That's...soon."

"Yes, it is, Xing'er. Do you have any objections?"

Yuan Song watched in fascination as the two of them stared into each other's eyes.

"I can't think of a better day to marry you than the day I chose to become yours, Yuwen Yue," Xing'er finally whispered.

"Did you really choose to become mine, X'er?" Yuwen Yue murmured in a tone Yuan Song had never heard before.

"Does it matter?"

"Not really," Yuwen Yue admitted. "At this point, assigning blame for our feelings for each other is quite pointless."

"Blame? That's not a romantic way of describing your love for one another, Yuwen Yue," Yuan Song scolded his friend.

"Yuwen Yue's sense of the romantic is often lacking," Xing'er said.

"Have you forgotten how you ended up in my lap, Xing'er?" Yuwen Yue asked her.

Xing'er's responding blush made Yuan Song fidget awkwardly in place.

"I fell into your lap after I finished shaving you," she finally said.

"You had a bit of help, Xing'er."

"You were very helpful, Yuwen Yue," she murmured, looking up at him.

"So you're getting married in a few weeks. Good, good, good!" Yuan Song said with fidgety enthusiasm. "You don't have much time to plan, though, so I'll just go ahead and leave right now. In fact, I wanted to see...Where is Meng Feng, anyway? I didn't see her at the gate. Surely she's not still being punished."

Yuan Song would've felt more glee at the uneasy look that flashed in Yuwen Yue's eyes for a few moments had it not signaled that his fears were accurate.

"Meng Feng is currently cutting the grass in the clearing near the cliffside. It had gotten too long, and I knew that she would benefit from the exercise."

All of Yuan Song's goodwill evaporated in the face of such a pallid defense of Yuwen Yue's actions. Xing'er was also looking up at the spymaster with a look of dismayed betrayal on her face, so the prince knew he had an ally.

"How can you continue to punish a woman whose only crime was getting involved in your petty family squabble?" Yuan Song asked Yuwen Yue while moving towards him. "Just because she's only known cruelty from her masters in the past doesn't give you the right to punish her in a less harsh way for your own sins. Tell me where she is so I can tell her that her punishment has ended."

"Have you ever known Meng Feng to quit while she's in the middle of something?" Yuwen Yue asked pragmatically.

"I'll help her finish her task, and then her punishment will be over," Yuan Song asserted.

"Are you really going to pick up a scythe yourself and work alongside her?"

"I deserve to be punished as much as she does, so should I not share in her punishment?"

"Neither of you deserves to be punished, Yuan Song!" Xing'er said while looking up at Yuwen Yue with a glare. "Especially not after last night!"

"I'm sure the Yue Guards outside are puzzling over your words, Xing'er, since you said them so loudly," Yuwen Yue said without looking like the thought bothered him.

"Not if they were paying attention to who was here and who was outside last night," Yuan Song said.

"What do you mean?" Xing'er asked.

"I wasn't the only one who had a mission to complete last night," Yuan Song murmured, looking at them significantly.

Xing'er's eyes widened, but Yuwen Yue's stayed as impassive as ever. Xing'er looked up at the spymaster, who in turn turned his inscrutable gaze on Yuan Song.

"Yue Qi is already conveniently located at the stable, so have him saddle your mount and Meng Feng's," Yuwen Yue finally said. "You can tell him his punishment is at an end as well—or you can let him suffer a bit more if you're so inclined, Your Highness. You can ride out to the cliffside and then do what you will."

"That's a lovely idea, Yuwen Yue," Xing'er said, trying to get up from the spymaster's lap. "In fact, I want to talk to...Yuwen Yue! Why won't you let me stand up?"

"Because you're being punished, Xing'er," Yuwen Yue said with a glint in his eyes.

"What?! I thought we already talked about all of this. Of course, I thought we'd already talked about Meng Feng and Yue Qi, too."

"I hardly had time to deal with them this morning, Xing'er."

"I'm sure that your shave took the whole morning," Yuan Song scoffed.

"The Grand Concubine requested our presence in her quarters for breakfast and...enlightenment. That took up a great deal of our morning."

"I'm sure it did," Yuan Song said, a grin forming on his face again. "I can imagine the type of advice she gave both of you."

"She didn't advise Yuwen Yue to punish me," Xing'er said with a pout. "So why am I being punished, Yuwen Yue? And how?"

"If I'm letting Meng Feng and Yue Qi off of their punishments, then you have to take their places, Xing'er."

"Ah?"

"And since you tried to leave me, your punishment is having to sit on my lap for the rest of the day."

"But that doesn't make any sense, Yuwen Yue! You should choose to not punish them because doing so is right, not because..."

Yuan Song barely held in a chuckle as the implications of Yuwen Yue's "punishment" penetrated Xing'er's mind.

"All day, Yuwen Yue?"

"All day, Xing'er."

She pretended to deliberate for a few moments before making a show of settling herself back onto Yuwen Yue's lap.

"Xing'er will obey," she said with a contented look on her face.

The prince lost his battle with his laughter and gave in, chortling at the absurdity of his friends' behavior.

"I want to have a word with Yue Jiu before you leave, however," Xing'er said, a mischievous smile forming on her face. "I'm going to tell him to prepare a nice lunch for you and Meng Feng to eat at the cliffside once the field has been cut."

"Are you going to condemn us to bread and water, Xing'er?"

"It's the least we can do, Yuwen Yue," Xing'er said, looking significantly at Yuan Song. "Besides, I've learned from experience that eating a meal on your lap is best done as simply as possible."

By the time that Yuwen Yue had finished saying, "You have a good point, Xing'er," Yuan Song had already summoned Yue Jiu back into the room so he could leave as soon as possible.

As Xing'er relayed her orders to Yue Jiu with more dignity than she should've been able to muster given her position on Yuwen Yue's lap, Yuan Song marveled at the level of peace he felt about both the past and the future. His mind and heart had already turned towards the woman who was even now diligently working at a task she should've never been given.

 _That's never going to happen again,_ he vowed even as he knew he had no way of enforcing such a promise.

Yue Jiu escorted him out, and Yuan Song walked out of Yuwen Yue's rooms with the sense of walking into the future.

"Fools! Fools! Fools!" he heard the parrot cry out as he turned back around for one last glimpse of the pair.

Xing'er was situating herself more comfortably in Yuwen Yue's lap as the spymaster was using his strong arms to gather her against himself. She rested her head on his shoulder, and Yuwen Yue looked down at her with such open adoration that the prince knew he wasn't supposed to witness the moment. He quickly turned away, not wanting to observe any more intimate moments that weren't meant for him.

 _If I never do anything else right in my life, I can still comfort myself with the fact that I made this happen—with a bit of help from the best woman in the world, of course,_ he thought as he strolled across the main courtyard towards the stables.

* * *

"I meant what I said, Meng Feng," Yuan Song muttered as he scythed another section of the large clearing.

Meng Feng gave the man she loved a small, serene smile before saying, "I know you did, Yuan Song. And I meant what I said, too."

"I know you did, Meng Feng," he replied after giving her a sheepish look. "But that doesn't mean that I'm not going to do my best to keep Yuwen Yue from punishing you for getting in the middle of his lovers' spat."

"The situation was more complicated than that, you know," she said as she relished the burn in her muscles from the repetitious work. "I deliberately did something that I knew would displease my master."

"So what? Just because Yuwen Yue was being unreasonable and Xing'er was being...Xing'er..."

"They were both being themselves, weren't they?" Meng Feng said with another smile.

Yuan Song responded with one of his heart-stopping boyish grins before scowling again. Meng Feng maintained her serene countenance by sheer force of will.

"I blame Yuwen Yue the most because he's in charge. What kind of a leader punishes his people for trying to protect those he loves?"

"One who's also trying to keep control over his people—and to make sure that his fighters don't grow soft due to endless hours of guard duty and a ready supply of good food."

"Like you're going to grow soft, Meng Feng," Yuan Song scoffed, not quite suppressing a wince as his muscles protested the foreign motion he was forcing them to make.

"I could easily grow soft at Qing Shan Yuan," she asserted. "Life in the Afterlife Camp honed my skills to a razor's edge, but the relative ease of life here has caused me to let my guard down in a variety of ways."

"Like making room in your life for the handsomest prince in Wei?"

"I haven't met Crown Prince Xiao Ce yet, so I haven't had a chance to let him into my life," Meng Feng teased her beloved with a serene smile.

"If I had my way, you'd never meet Xiao Ce—or, at least, he'd never meet you," Yuan Song said with an endearing scowl.

"Why not, Yuan Song?"

"Because he's an unscrupulous womanizer and I want to keep him as far away from you as possible."

"Didn't you say he's utterly devoted to his Xia Xia and is supposed to be marrying your sister?"

"Getting to know my sister was the stated reason for his visit, but I've seen no evidence of him making anything but a cursory attempt to do so."

"Do you think he came to Wei just to visit Qing Shan Yuan?" she asked.

"We speculated before that he would probably want to come here because of the Eyes of God and Yuwen Yue," Yuan Song replied. "Honestly, I'm not sure that Qing Shan Yuan isn't the main reason behind his visit."

"Because he's already attached to Xia Xia and has shown no interest in any other woman?"

"Right—well, except in terms of flirtation, at which he's a master."

"After watching him more, do you think his womanizing is a cover like we discussed?"

Yuan Song sighed, taking another swipe at the tall grass with his scythe.

"I can't say for sure," he said in frustration. "Sometimes I feel as if his smile is a little too brittle and his effusions a little too flamboyant, but then he'll say something outrageous with such a sincere bearing..."

"But you're already beginning to see through him, Yuan Song," Meng Feng said with an encouraging smile. "See? You're learning new skills every week."

"I am!" he said, grinning widely. "When I talked to Yuwen Yue and Xing'er today, noticed how expressive his eyes can be for the first time. I could see his vulnerability and devotion when before I'd only seen the mask."

"We'll make a spy out of you yet," she said, privately wondering if Yuwen Yue might have simply been more open than normal due to his brush with losing his beloved.

Yuan Song grinned boyishly for a few moments before his expression turned more serious.

"I don't want to be a spy," he murmured. "In a year or two, I'll be old enough to build my own palace somewhere outside of the city and take a...I mean, I'll be able to get mar..."

A blush suffused Yuan Song's face, and he took a hand off of his scythe to rub his ear self-consciously. Meng Feng gave him as serene a smile as possible, knowing full well that more of her heart might be showing than was prudent.

"I'm sure that you'll be very happy," she said softly as she cut down some of the last grass at the edge of the clearing.

"I'm not," he whispered.

"Not what?"

"Not sure I'll be happy," he admitted, his scythe rasping over the ground with more force than necessary. "After all, what good does a palace do a prince without a worthy princess to share it with him?"

"I'm sure you'll find a worthy princess, Yuan Song. Maybe Xiao Ce has a sister and you can trade her for your own sister."

For once, Yuan Song didn't smile at one of her jokes. Instead, he deliberately stalked over to the last patch of grass and scythed it, his eyes burning with an intensity that she idly wondered if he'd stolen from her master. They gazed at each other for a few moments before she wordlessly laid her scythe down against the base of a tree and disappeared into the trees beyond the clearing, knowing he would follow her.

"Yuan Song, you know that-"

"-that I've already found my worthy princess? Yes, I do know that."

"Yuan Song-"

"I know what you're going to say," he blurted. "I know all of the arguments you're going to make already. I've made them all myself over and over and over again. I've tried to figure out some way, any way, that I could actually convince...that is, that maybe we could...that someday...I know that...I know that I don't know."

Meng Feng desperately wanted to hug him again, but she knew that putting physical distance between them was necessary for her to maintain her emotional detachment.

"I know," she murmured. "I _know_ , Yuan Song. If things were different, I know that we could..."

 _How odd that I can't even voice it,_ she thought wryly. I _'ve killed men with barely a thought or a twinge, and now I can't even confess my feelings to the man I love. At least that difficulty seems to be mutual._

As if he'd heard her thoughts, his back straightened, his shoulders squared, and his jaw hardened. His eyes blazed again with that telltale intensity—a newfound confidence that, when combined with his disheveled, sweaty state, made the prince look more desirable than ever. Meng Feng knew that he'd likely displayed some of this fire while confronting Yuwen Yue on her behalf, and not even her Afterlife Camp hardness could resist its heat.

"I love you, Meng Feng," he said with such simple, straightforward fervency that her mask fell completely away. "Even when I thought I loved Xing'er...No. That's not right. I'm not going to pretend that I didn't love Xing'er—or that I don't still care deeply for her safety and well-being as a friend. But when I confronted her on the road—and her and Yuwen Yue in his room this morning—I realized that I've put the past completely behind me. When I envision that palace outside of Chang'an, you're the only woman I can envision making its _da fu ren_."

Meng Feng knew all of the reasons why she should keep him at arm's length, but she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around him instead. This embrace felt even more wonderful than that first one, and she knew that she'd never be able to stop herself from loving this man.

"I can't say that I can envision the future," Meng Feng murmured into his chest. "I've never been able to envision the future, honestly—at least not in terms of predicting change. When I decided to leave the Afterlife Camp, I came up with a basic plan: Find someone strong and skilled enough to take out my old master and maybe hire me to work for him—or free me, perhaps. The first time I ever saw Yuwen Yue—weak as he was—I somehow knew that he could save me after I saved him and Xing'er. But even then, I couldn't really envision the future. I figured I'd kill for him, protect his home, and guard his girl. And then I actually got to know them—and the other residents of Qing Shan Yuan—and I felt I wanted to stay there forever."

"And now?" he whispered huskily into her hair before inhaling deeply.

"And now...Now, for the first time in my life, I could envision a life of my own—even if it is just a fantasy. If things were different..."

"But they are different, Meng Feng," he murmured as he softly rubbed her back. "We both know I love you now. Doesn't that make everything different?"

Meng Feng looked up into Yuan Song's open, earnest, loving eyes and sighed.

"Risk has never bothered me before. I always assumed I would die young on a mission or defending my home, so old age—or even middle age—was never a real possibility to me. I do not fear death—but I do fear what would happen to you if your family found out about us. I would risk almost anything for you, but-"

With surprising speed, Yuan song lowered his face to hers, capturing her lips in a sweet yet firm kiss. While it didn't last too long, it managed to convey all of the prince's love and convictions. She pulled back slightly and looked up at him, unable to stop a wide smile from forming on her face in spite of the impossibility of her beloved's dreams for the two of them.

"I love you, too, Yuan Song," she admitted before wrapping her arms around his neck and bringing his face back down to hers.

His embrace left none of his feelings to the imagination, and Meng Feng decided to—at least for the moment-revel in her present happiness without worrying about the inevitable day of reckoning that would result from their relationship.

The distant chattering of approaching maids drew them back to the present, and she followed her beloved back out into the clearing. After all, just because she knew the emperor would find out about them eventually didn't mean that she wanted to foolishly hasten said discovery.

* * *

AN: Hopefully my next update won't take 2ish months; I make no promises, though, since this upcoming Xiao Ce arc is still only half-formed in my head and completely un-outlined and I'm not sure that I'm out of my slump yet. I'll also be away for a week visiting with family/burying my grandfather, and I don't know whether that will enhance or reduce my desire/ability to write. Next chapter: Xiao Ce/Xia Xia intro/lunar convergence? Next next chapter: Lunar convergence?/pact? Next next next chapter: party time? Plans? Next next next next chapter: ¯\\_(ツ)_/¯


End file.
